To meet the demand of Web surfers who would like to find certain programmes or reports on the Web, Radio-Assist 7 can now offer radio professionals a specific tool - Web Dispatcher.

Web Dispatcher, a Web publishing automaton

Web Dispatcher automatically converts and publishes audio news and metadata on Web sites. To do so, it has two main functions :

• Automatic conversion and export of files from the Radio-Assist database to an Internet or Real Audio server.

• Automatic production of pages containing the sound items.

The Radio-Assist database browser has a "Ready-to-Web" checkbox to inform the conversion program that the sound item is to be automatically published on the Web site. From then on the process is entirely automatic. Web Dispatcher automatically converts into into Real G2, MP3 or WMA format, exports the linked data in XML format and to MOS 2.0 standard (Media Object Server) and transfers the conversion result to the Internet server using FTP protocol.

Web Dispatcher's ease of use is due to its profile management. A profile is defined by a set of parameters (file type, conversion format, target of processed file, etc.) Each profile represents an export and conversion mode. Web Dispatcher can simultaneously export groups of sound and text files in different formats to a variety of target sites. Automation is total. Web Dispatcher modifies the Web site and dynamically generates its pages from the relational database where the data linked to the published sound items are stored.

This standard-based solution (REAL AUDIO, XML, MOS, FTP) ensures easier upgrading. In addition, the modular structure of the application allows for adding new compression techniques as soon as they come on the market. For instance, the application already includes the MPEG3 format.