Wikinews talk:Audio Wikinews/archive 3

Community Support
Audio Wikinews was created in order to provide an alternative way for users to get the most out of their Wikinews experience. However lately this little project has stalled. The RSS feed for Wikinews Newsbriefs have sat still. People have not taken the time to record a full article. I tried to extend Wikinews outside the computer box, but it too stand still.

This I my plea to the Wikinews user, including myself, care. This project is probably one of the most enjoyable projects of Wikinews. Sure betters the hell out of 3RR and POV. But this project has been left to die. One person (User:Gumboyaya) bravely held all of Audio Wikinews on his shoulders, yet no one came to replace him. We do not act like a team.

I may insult people here, if I do sorry, some people have the ablity to help out, but to not. Bawolff can easily record, but is afraid people might track him down via his voice. MessedRocker can record, just doesn't feel like it, and I simply "don't have the time". All of which are horrible excuses.

All I ask is that others come and support the project. Maybe help write a script, record a cast on Mondays or Wednesdays. Maybe your good at editing, or can run an asterisk server. I'm not asking much, I'm just asking you take a few minutes a day from 3RR and the such to help out on a project.

What's your stance, helping or murder. terinjokes | Talk | Come visit the WikiBistro 07:32, 2 January 2007 (UTC)
 * Hmm, there are programs out there that can mask your voice. I don't have a good microphone, so I can't do it. Thunderhead - (talk) Congrajulations to Kat! 23:03, 3 January 2007 (UTC)
 * See the recent post in Water cooler/proposals - someone is offering to create Festival-based audio renditions of Wikinews stories ("Audio Wikinews... or something like it.."). Although it would be voice synthesis, it might be a means to maintain regular audio content if volunteer strength is lacking. DL+1613 00:55, 9 January 2007 (UTC)
 * Thanks for guilt-tripping me into something I know nothing about. I have a mic, and I'm perfectly willing to record, but I don't know the ins and outs of this project. Can someone help me out? Bl a st  12,01,07 2146 (UTC -5)
 * Same here. I'm new to wikinews, but not some other wikis. Goshzilla 05:27, 21 January 2007 (UTC)
 * Just Take a look at some of the Audio Wikinews documents. Looking at a few scripts, and listening to a couple of broadcasts helped me when I first started. If you have any questions, just let me know over on my talk or on IRC. I'll be happy to answer your questions. terinjokes | Talk | Come visit the WikiBistro 05:56, 21 January 2007 (UTC)
 * I'll contribute soon, but right now I don't have a microphone. Basso Profundo 15:45, 30 June 2007 (UTC)
 * How do I get involved? I am a frequent recorder in the Spoken wikipedia project but this layout is confusing, what is suppose to be recorded? Where do I find news briefs, a step by step guide would be helpful but for now could you just direct me to the link I need to get to to record something. And how would I then get about having iTunes radio people play it? Thanks Davumaya 05:03, 14 October 2007 (UTC)
 * Never mind I figured it out. Whats up with the podcast? .:*:*:DAVUMAYA:*:*:. 09:09, 14 October 2007 (UTC)
 * Well, I've taken a stab at the News in Review program. Let me know what ya'll think. Leofan7 03:07, 3 August 2008 (UTC)

RSS Feed
On the project page, we gleefully display an pseudo-RSS icon. Should you click on the icon, you'll be taken off foundation webspace to Feedburner! Hopefully you picked up some cookies along the way. Now you might be wondering how to edit such feed. To do so, you must log into a Blogger account (either as MrM or as me), carefully create a new "post", or send a carefully crafted email to an email account only MrM has access to, where it (should) be forwarded as a new "post". We then must wait for Feedburner to update. This doesn't always work (just ask Gumboyaya!).

I'm proposing we create and manage an RSS feed right here on Wikinews. Considering its very easy to display "raw", most RSS readers wouldn't (and shouldn't) know the difference. I've setup a basic one at User:Terinjokes/AW.rss and to display raw (or throw into the many different RSS clients). Everyone like? terinjokes | Talk | Come visit the WikiBistro 17:41, 4 January 2007 (UTC)
 * I'm currently updating the somehow "official" feed, but its taking a while... (The unofficial feed is already upto date) terinjokes | Talk | Come visit the WikiBistro 15:45, 5 January 2007 (UTC) This didn't turn out so well, the ISP started blocking my FTP requests... terinjokes | Talk | Come visit the WikiBistro 16:42, 21 January 2007 (UTC)
 * Well that's never good... user:Bawolff 17:47, 21 January 2007 (UTC)
 * A working feed would be nice. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 132.60.240.80 (talk) 12:34, 5 July 2008 (UTC)

Would love to record, but ...
As someone who would gladly record items for something like this, I must say I'm discouraged by the confusing manner in which this project is presented. A simple, step by step process should be outlined. Hell, is the project even still alive? It's very hard to tell.

New Vision, New Ideas
As I guess I have become the new forerunner of this project, I would like to state for the record several visions and possible ideas I have for Audio Wikinews.


 * Firstly of course is a bit of a updating of our branding via visual and audio. We probably should adopt the generic sound icon but if we are to move into a new logo, it should closely reflect the sound icon as well as the Wikinews icon.


 * In terms of sound themes, I've updated the intro and added an outro sound file which I think is a little better because its less midi, partially organic (I added guitar), and Wikinews isn't BBC, we should be a bit edgy, just enough to distinguish ourselves (so its a rock-type theme).


 * Strategically, Audio Wikinews is exploring Wikinews' content and should always focus on being that extra resource, that extra icing, of the Wiki itself. I think it should develop its own articles and focuses when the time comes but Wikinews itself needs to be stronger and having the Audio edition place pressure on the editors to create good web news will show in the Audio version.


 * Talent-wise, I've been reviewing my briefs, they're not fantastically wonderful, and actually lately I've been quite tired after work each day so its not sounding particularly up to my usual par. I want to get to a point where you (whoever and how many you are) provide the talent for each individual part of Audio Wikinews. Meaning I want really good writers to ensure the News Briefs are solid scripts and that the recorders are talented speakers who when given the text will flourish with it. Doing this myself, the process is lengthy and tiresome and so eventually should we get more involvement, I want there to be a sort of handing off of each day's news so that things can get accomplished efficiently, on-time, and to a high quality.


 * Finally, I want to make this more entertaining. This is of course a future step but Wikinews can provide all news -- and celebrity, wackynews, and entertainment reporting isn't frowned upon here, there aren't producers who force it nor deny it in the face of ratings. The audio side can definitely provide a bit more fun coverage with background music, effects, etc. I'm cautious to say radio-style programming but not quite as messy as that. We also must understand any usage of extra sound bites must be freely licensed and allowed and so having more editors on that path to gathering those resources is one step that has to be taken before entertainment can go.

Those are my thoughts for now. I've planned improvements to the Project pages include a how-to-do-it guide. .:*:*:DAVUMAYA:*:*:. 02:47, 26 October 2007 (UTC)

RSS
The RSS feed for Audio News Brief is now being updated but if you previously subscribed and want to receive the feed you will have to subscribe again as the Web address has changed (See this page for info on why the url has changed. --User:Anonymous101 Talk 19:51, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

On break for a few days
Due to the unbearably hot weather, I will be unable to record Newsbriefs in the forseeable future. I hope someone else can take this on. --Munchkinguy (talk) 22:30, 30 June 2008 (UTC)

I'm baaaack!
I'm baack betches! Time to vamp up Audio Wikinews! davumaya (talk) 18:55, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

As am I! Expect drama! --NicholasTurnbull (talk) 23:39, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

Blasted! I was going all retro and you took it away :( My gloooorrrrry. Btw, are you changing the name to News in Brief or whatzup wit dat yo? I think it would be a good idea. davumaya (talk) 06:24, 16 July 2008 (UTC)
 * lol. Welcome back to both of you. I look forward to listening to more audio wikinews. Bawolff ☺☻ 11:22, 16 July 2008 (UTC)

If in need of another reporter....
If you guys still need somebody to do the occassional Audio Wikinews recording, I'll be more than happy to help out. I've got a microphone and all, but not the first clue about how to post the recording itself on Wikinews. I'm especially interested in the News Review, which nobody seems to have done yet. --WNewsReporter (talk) 07:42, 17 July 2008 (UTC)


 * YES! Indeed we could use many more reporters! Turnball just made up the News Review section. So I suppose whatever you invent will be fine. I have to ask him how he is categorizing things though because previously we used pseudonamespace for our Wiki briefs. 75.72.165.211 07:28, 18 July 2008 (UTC)

And so it starts again
It would seem that I have now taken the torch for this project. I can see real potentional in this so I will do my best to keep it updated and running. I do have personal commitments as well so don't be suprised if I miss a day for the news brief or miss a story but this wasn't ment to be run by one person but I will do my best. --James Pain (talk) 02:59, 3 September 2008 (UTC)

Just a note, I've changed the page roughly (using my low knowlage of wiki). I know it needs a load more work and I plan to do that, feel free to chip in because i could use all the help i can get. James Pain (talk) 23:02, 4 September 2008 (UTC)

I'm back from my interesting year at college, it's ending next week so I plan to start getting back into wikinews on the audio side of things. I'll try and catch up with what's been going on and start chipping in. --James Pain (talk) 23:35, 16 June 2009 (UTC)

Problem with News in Brief
Not sure what is going on, the News in Brief audio that I uploaded this morning is not playing properly in the Java player. You can download the file itself from Commons without issue and it plays fine. Can somebody look into this and see what is going on? Kamnet (talk) 02:23, 17 September 2008 (UTC)
 * Is it stopping at the 33 second mark? I seem to be having that problem across browsers. --PatrickFlaherty (talk) 04:02, 17 September 2008 (UTC)
 * It wasn't playing for me at all yesterday. I just uploaded a new audio, and it is stopping at the 2:40 mark on all browsers. Quite annoying to only hear half the news! Who can I contact about this? Kamnet (talk) 06:00, 17 September 2008 (UTC)
 * I'm not having the problem at all with either java or quicktime. Anonymous101talk 18:50, 17 September 2008 (UTC)
 * The 09/17 0500 UTC update stopped playing at the 2:40 mark in the java player. The 09/17 1800 UTC update was playing fine, but now it is not playing at all. The Spoken Wikinews audio works fine w/o issue. I wonder why I'm only seeing the problem with the AWNB? 76.177.88.40 01:15, 18 September 2008 (UTC)

Should we ditch News Review?
With only one recording in a month and a half, if nobody else is going to take it up, I don't see any reason to keep it on display. It's an interesting idea, I wish I had more time to devote to something like this, but my plate is already full with the audio transcripts and News in Brief. ;-) Kamnet (talk) 11:36, 18 September 2008 (UTC)
 * ditch it. Anonymous101talk 15:16, 18 September 2008 (UTC)
 * Buhbye! If anybody wants to resurrect it, feel free, if you want some help, just ask << Kamnet (talk) 14:41, 20 September 2008 (UTC)

WikiVoices
In case anyone missed the notice on the water cooler, people interested in this project might be interested in WikiVoices. Bawolff ☺☻ 03:08, 30 October 2008 (UTC)

My New Audio Wikinews style: opinions welcome
Dear Wikiaudians (if such a thing can exist): I've put together a mockup of a new sting/format that I've put together which I think better captures the whole Wikinews community content thing, along with being deliberately different and better suited to a podcast target audience. I'd really like people's opinion on it. . Many thanks! --NicholasTurnbull (talk) 06:16, 9 November 2008 (UTC)
 * Nice work Nicholas. Anonymous101talk 20:14, 9 November 2008 (UTC)

Re-Launch
I decided on my free time I will continue this project but I have a few questions.
 * Do I have to mask my voice?
 * Does the recording have to be in .ogg format? I was thinking to put it in .mp3
 * Do I have to post my script online? This takes up too much of my time I will of course write it down on a piece of paper.


 * Awesome. You do not have to mask your voice. Recordings do have to be in .ogg. this is for various reasons, mostly ideological. However it is very easy to convert. It is preferred you put your script online (In the brief pages), but certainly not required. Bawolff ☺☻ 21:48, 6 March 2009 (UTC)

Probelm uploading file
I uploaded the file but it doesn't play why?

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Audiowikinews_march7.ogg

Thanks, 70.49.219.218(Andimahony)-I have an account.


 * I fixed it. Basically ogg is a media container format, and can contain more than one type of audio. The three main types it works with is speex (very small files for people talking. sounds like crap for audio that isn't people talking), vorbis (general audio), and flac (ultra-high quality, lossless). The problem is that for speex or flac to work, the end user has to install separate software. Your file was ogg FLAC, which in general doesn't work if you don't have the special software. I converted it to vorbis, which is what we generally use, because its better supported, and we do not need the type of quality flac provides (When i converted it, file size dropped to a tenth of the size, and i used higher quality settings than were probably needed).
 * btw, your file sounds good. The volume of the music vs the volume of your voice could of probably been closer, but other than that sounds great. Just a few minnor notes on uploading: When uploading to commons, please put it in so we can keep track of it. Also, Wikinews audio content is generally licensed under the cc-by-2.5 instead of the public domain as to keep it consistant with the site license. Last of all, many people full out , for their audio uploads, in adition to the standard information template, but this is not required. Cheers. Bawolff ☺☻ 02:44, 8 March 2009 (UTC)

I have to go through a long process to upload it onto WikiNews what program or website do you recommend for the right conversion because I start at .mp3.

Andimahony —Preceding unsigned comment added by Andimahony (talk • contribs) 21:56, 23 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Sorry, i just saw your comment now. I use ffmpeg to transcode, which is a command line tool. I'm not sure how familiar you are with the commandline, but if you are its really easy, and works great. . Wikimedia commons also has a fairly comprehensive list somewhere (not sure where), same with wikipedia. http://playogg.org also has a list somewhere i think. what platform are you using? Bawolff ☺☻ 00:35, 17 June 2009 (UTC)

Podcast
Are these in a podcast that goes on iTunes? Wikipedia Weekly uses that format to distribute it's podcast. Irunongames  play  10:24, 22 June 2009 (UTC)

iTunes
Now that James is doing these regularly, I think it would be a good idea if we submitted it to iTunes-maybe the news briefs each day. This will increase our listeners & then hopefully our readers & contributors. In order to do that, the podcast cannot be in ogg, it must be in .mp3 with an RSS feed of that.

Could we set this up-I know mp3 isn't the best thing around here, but if we can get in iTunes and get people listening. I'm happy to help set it up and administer it, if we can get them uploaded in mp3 & an RSS feed from that. Thoughts? Dotty•• |&#9742; 10:40, 22 June 2009 (UTC)


 * I'm sure we've been using ogg for a reason but as long as the higher up's are ok with this then I'm fine with it. For the site I would still suggest we continue publishing in ogg since using free file types is what defines us, "The free News source" and all that. RSS feed wise, these are created automatically as long as I upload it to the commons and assign it a category, an example being the News Briefs I've already been uploading: News brief RSS . Before we go diving into new ground I would like to wait until this Sunday at the very least to start anything new so I can get the whole Audio Wikinews project stable as it's a bit of a mess at the moment. As at the moment this is very much a one man show it would be impossible to get releases of the news brief strictly every day since I have commitments to attend to (i.e. This Friday I shall be away for the evening so unless I record the brief in the afternoon (UK) or someone else does it, it won't happen). Happy thoughts :P But yes, any kind of exposure I'm good for. --James Pain (talk) 11:09, 22 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Note: We can definitly unofficially submit things as mp3 [its free after all] (and perhaps even officially submit them as mp3). However it is unlikely we would be able to store them on wikimedia servers as mp3's. Bawolff ☺☻ 03:56, 23 June 2009 (UTC)
 * The way that iTunes works means that actually they don't store the files-they just take the RSS feed & then download it, so we can't rely on them to store it unfortunately. Dotty•• |&#9742; 07:08, 23 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Ok, so mp3 is strictly off limits. How about .m4a, .mov, .mp4 or .m4v?--James Pain (talk) 09:58, 23 June 2009 (UTC)
 * I think iTunes will only accept mp3. Argh seriously. Ogg is cramping our style. I love open source but not when its not actually helping. davumaya (talk) 10:13, 23 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Not true, direct quote "Supported file formats include .m4a, .mp3, .mov, .mp4, .m4v, and .pdf." from http://www.apple.com/itunes/whatson/podcasts/specs.html --James Pain (talk) 10:37, 23 June 2009 (UTC)

What was previously on iTunes was the PDF print edition. I would be very wary of getting into putting audio on iTunes without three or four people doing audio, spread across a few timezones. --Brian McNeil / talk 12:47, 23 June 2009 (UTC)


 * OK so if we wait a bit to see if James can keep it up & also to give him some time as requested? Dotty•• |&#9742; 17:01, 24 June 2009 (UTC)