Style / Specific types of releases / Broadcast programs
| Status: This is an official style guideline. |
Scope
Broadcast: An episodic release that was originally broadcast via radio, television, or the Internet, including podcasts.
This includes reissues or collections of recordings originally created for broadcast, for instance a complete series released on CD.
Broadcast Guidelines
For individual shows (episodes).
Release group type
The release group type should be set to "Broadcast".
Release group secondary type
If the show is a recording of a live performance add “Live”. Studio recordings that were recorded over multiple takes and then edited together are not considered live, even if a 'studio audience' was present (for instance, to record applause).
If the show is primarily an audio drama, with multiple people acting out a script, add "Audio Drama".
If the show is mainly people talking, but doesn't qualify as an audio drama or audiobook, add "spokenword".
Release name
Follow this format: YYYY-MM-DD: Program Name [, Series 1234, ][#1234][, "Program Title"][: Location]
Notes:
- YYYY-MM-DD is the date that particular program was first broadcast.
- Only include series and/or show numbers if the show has these.
- Series should be replaced with whatever term the program uses, for instance 'Season'.
- Only include Location if it is a live recording, or if the location of the recording changes often and is mentioned prominently in the show or on the program's website.
- Location follows this syntax: [Venue, ]City, [State, ]Country
- For untitled DJ Sets for radio, use the radio station name in place of the program name: YYYY-MM-DD: Radio Station Name…
- If the DJ/s represent a collective or a label, follow this format: YYYY-MM-DD: [Collective/Label Name,] Radio Station Name…
Examples:
- 2012-07-07: The Writer’s Almanac (radio show)
- 2012-06-30: Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!: State Theatre, Cleveland, OH, USA (radio show, live)
- 2014-09-04: Ask Me Another #325, “What’s the Magic Word?”: The Bell House, Brooklyn, NY, USA (radio show, numbered, program title, live)
- 1988-01-24: Fear on Four, Series 1, #4, “Music Lovers” (audio drama, series, numbered, program title)
- 2012-06-16: Car Talk #1224, “You Sap” (podcast, numbered, program title)
- 2019-11-11: Hessle Audio (DJ set, titled)
- 2021-12-31: NTS Radio (DJ set, untitled)
- 2021-07-15: Surf Gang, NTS Radio (DJ set, DJs represent 'Surf Gang', untitled)
Artist credit
If the program is primarily written by and performed by the hosts, list them (or their pseudonym) as the artist. Examples:
- Car Talk: Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers
If the program is primarily a performance of a written work, list the author and the narrators/performers. Examples:
- Escape Pod: [author] read by [narrator]
- Fear on Four: [author] starring [performer] & [performer]
Otherwise, artist credit should be given to the groups or people given at the beginning of the program. Examples:
- Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!: NPR & WBEZ Chicago (WBEZ) — "From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" ..."
- All Things Considered: NPR News (NPR) — "From NPR News, this is All Things Considered ..."
If the only people listed at the beginning of the program are the hosts who are not primary writers, or if there are no people or groups listed at the beginning of the program, use your best judgement for the artist credit. Examples:
- Fresh Air: NPR & WHYY
- The Writer's Almanac: American Public Media with Garrison Keillor (while Garrison Keillor is the host, he is not the primary writer)
Format
This will usually be digital media (podcasts, radio station website streams and downloads).
If you don't know how or if it was distributed, only that it was aired, leave the format blank (as well as the release date).
Track listings
For programs distributed as a single file or track, use only one track, and title it the same as the release (example 1)
For programs separated into segments when distributed (for example, separate downloads for each segment, or a player which loads a new file for each segment), list each segment as a separate track. The track title should be the title of the segment from the distributor, if useful (example 2). If no titles are given, add [: Part 1234] to the end each track title.
Label
Use the group responsible for holding rights for and distributing the program you are adding. For example, recordings from "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" are distributed through NPR's website, so the label should be NPR. The same show can be distributed or re-distributed with different groups on different channels, in which case, add separate releases for these. Programs may change distributor over time.
Do not add a catalog number for digital media releases unless you are certain it's a catalog number and not an internal ID number.
Examples:
- Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!: NPR
- Car Talk: [no label] (example 3) and/or Dewey, Cheetham, and Howe (example 4 and example 5)
Release date
Use the date the program/recording was 'released' (not the date it was first aired/broadcast, which is included in the release title).
If you are unsure of the date, leave it blank.
Broadcast Collection Guidelines
For shows (episodes) collected together, for instance on CD or as a download.
Unless specified below, follow the Broadcast release guidelines above for these releases.
Examples:
Release group types
If all shows are from the same run of a program, do not add "Compilation", unless it is a curated selection (for instance, 'best of...').
Release name
The release title should be the title as given by the source. The usual guidelines for release titles apply.
Artist credit
Additional to the Broadcast release guidelines: If each track/show varies in its release credit, only credit artists that the overall program is credited to, or that are consistently credited on each track. If there are none, use 'Various Artists'.
Example:
- Fear on Four: Edward de Souza (the host, the only artist consistent across shows)
Track listings
Track titles should be the title of the segments given by the distributor.
If no track titles are given, follow the guidelines for Broadcast Release name for each track: YYYY-MM-DD: Program Name [, Series 1234, ][#1234][, "Program Title"][: Location]
Recordings
Tracks (shows) should share a recording with the individual show releases, if available and the same.
If so, the recording titles should follow the individual show release (rather than the title given by the distributor in a collection). For instance, the track in the collection may be called 'Program Title', while the recording is called 'YYYY-MM-DD: Program Name [, Series 1234, ][#1234][, "Program Title"][: Location]'.
Release date
Use the date the collection (e.g. the CD or download) was released.
If a collection has been released over time (for instance, the distributor adds episodes to a page as they are released), use the date of the final addition.
If you are unsure of the date, leave it blank.
Series
Broadcast releases of the same program can be collected in a series.
Use the 'Release Group' or 'Podcast' series type, unless the series is additionally collecting an attribute that may be release-specific (for instance, shows/releases put out by a specific distributer).
The same series can include both individual show releases and grouped releases.
Examples: