Radio Automation to Video: Why the Playlist Is the Key
Every radio station already has a system that knows exactly what is on air: the playout automation. It schedules songs, spots, jingles and programs. When a station adds video, that automation is the most valuable source of information it has.
What the automation knows
- What is playing now and what comes next.
- When a commercial break starts.
- Which items are in the break, so its duration can be computed.
- When the program returns.
Why not detect breaks from the audio?
Trying to guess breaks from the sound is fragile: music, jingles and spots can sound alike. The playlist is explicit. If the automation says a block of spots starts now, the video workflow can act on it with confidence.
How automations share this data
Each system exposes what is on air in its own way:
- A native integration with a specific automation.
- An HTTP API that reports the current and next items.
- XML or JSON files updated as the playlist advances.
- Export files generated by the automation.
What the video channel does with it
- Switch scenes: go to a break card or a different layout when spots start, and back to the studio cameras at the end.
- Mark the break: insert SCTE-35 CUE-OUT and CUE-IN so digital ad workflows know where the break is.
- Inform the player: send now-playing and break-state metadata with the video.
Where Fast Monkey Station fits
Fast Monkey Station connects to RadioBOSS natively, and to other automations through an HTTP API, XML, JSON or export file. It detects breaks from the playlist with their computed duration, switches vMix or OBS scenes and marks breaks for compatible ad workflows. We confirm your automation during the evaluation.