BusRadio
Encyclopedia
BusRadio was an American
company established in 2004, with the goal of providing several services to school buses, their drivers and passengers. It was envisioned that the service would transmit music, original programming, public service announcement
s (PSAs) and paid commercials to school children travelling on school bus
es in selected school district
s. BusRadio was based in Needham, Massachusetts
.
Programming was broadcast to the buses via a proprietary
radio unit, which downloads BusRadio programming. Other features on the radio unit include GPS, driver panic buttons connected to local emergency services, and internal and external PA
systems.
The Busradio service is not unlike similar services used at retail chains, such as Muzak, PlayNetwork
and the In-Store Broadcasting Network
.
On September 28, 2009, BusRadio announced that they would be closing down. At its peak, Busradio enlisted up to 300 school districts and 10,000 buses in 24 states.
, middle
and high school
levels, plus a field trip
service designed for mixed groups of all ages. The differing styles of audio programming was also intended to reduce rowdy behavior among students. At night, fresh programming for the next school day was downloaded to the BusRadio units.
In an average hour of BusRadio content, 52 minutes were original programming. The playlist was a mix of pop
, rock
, country music
and urban contemporary
songs, edited for the appropriate age groups. BusRadio's music standards claim to be more restrictive than traditional broadcast radio, in which they eliminate all inappropriate lyrics and subject matter to comply with their strict age-appropriateness guidelines.
Programming content, including music and safety messages, was customised for each school district. Districts were also given a say in what songs or messages should be included.
BusRadio conducted occasional contests; one example included Give A Gift, Get A Gift, a December 2007 Holiday contest where students were asked to describe which gift they were most excited to give and whom it was for. Two winners received laptop computers, and charities of their choice were given $200.
BusRadio included an average of four minutes per hour of paid commercials appropriate for the particular age group. The company encouraged its sponsors to deliver "positive, socially responsible" messages and the company actively sought partnerships with sports and activity-related companies, as well as companies that provide healthy food and drink alternatives. BusRadio claims advertisers for products contrary to the healthy lifestyle mission, such as fast food
chains, were not welcome to advertise on BusRadio.
All messages were subject to the strict content guidelines developed by BusRadio’s independent content review board and were carefully reviewed for "age appropriate
" content and subject matter.
BusRadio has been controversial among parents in some districts which have decided not to allow the service, such as Louisville, Kentucky
. In part because of concerns about BusRadio, South Carolina State Senator Greg Ryberg introduced legislation in February 2008 that would ban advertising on school buses in the state.
In May 2009, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood
requested Congress to examine the music and advertisements featured on BusRadio for their appropriateness and effect on students and bus drivers. In September 2009, the Federal Communications Commission
released a report stating that BusRadio was not within FCC jurisdiction, and that the decision to use BusRadio was up to the local or state school boards.
-based child advocacy group, Obligation, Inc., charges the company with playing songs from CDs which contain explicit lyrics (some marked with "Parental Advisory - Explicit Content" stickers) or songs which have themes which the group deems inappropriate for children. Obligation, Inc. objects to the promotion of these artists to children, even if the specific song chosen has no explicit lyrics, or explicit language has been removed.
..
The National Parent-Teacher Association
specifically objected to lack of control on the part of the school district over selection of music and advertisements, despite BusRadio expressly offering this type of control and personalization.
The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood also targeted Sigma Partners, BusRadio's venture capital firm. In a report, CCFC identified advertisements for Bratz
, Answers.com
, Cingular, and The WB Television Network
, which contain direct or indirect messages deemed harmful to children..
However, according to BusRadio, members of the website are not permitted to give information that could identify them in real life and are not allowed to make this information part of their website profile. All user-generated content is reviewed to ensure it does not contain any inappropriate language or personal information. The website conforms to COPPA regulations and instructs users on tips to ensure internet safety for children..
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
company established in 2004, with the goal of providing several services to school buses, their drivers and passengers. It was envisioned that the service would transmit music, original programming, public service announcement
Public service announcement
A public service announcement or public service ad is a type of advertisement featured on television, radio, print or other media...
s (PSAs) and paid commercials to school children travelling on school bus
School bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
es in selected school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s. BusRadio was based in Needham, Massachusetts
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
.
Programming was broadcast to the buses via a proprietary
Proprietary hardware
Proprietary hardware is computer hardware which is owned by the proprietor.Historically, most early computer hardware was designed as proprietary until the 1980s, when IBM PC changed this paradigm...
radio unit, which downloads BusRadio programming. Other features on the radio unit include GPS, driver panic buttons connected to local emergency services, and internal and external PA
Public address
A public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...
systems.
The Busradio service is not unlike similar services used at retail chains, such as Muzak, PlayNetwork
Playnetwork
PlayNetwork, Inc. is a provider of in-store entertainment for retail, restaurant, and hospitality environments.In 1996, PlayNetwork was founded in Seattle and quickly introduced custom music programming...
and the In-Store Broadcasting Network
In-Store Broadcasting Network
InStore Broadcasting Network is a retail media provider of narrowcast in-store background music, in-store video content and advertising for delivery within supermarkets and drugstores...
.
On September 28, 2009, BusRadio announced that they would be closing down. At its peak, Busradio enlisted up to 300 school districts and 10,000 buses in 24 states.
Programming
BusRadio produced four groups of eight hours of original programming—for elementaryElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
, middle
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
and high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
levels, plus a field trip
Field trip
A field trip or excursion, known as school trip in the UK and school tour in Ireland, is a journey by a group of people to a place away from their normal environment...
service designed for mixed groups of all ages. The differing styles of audio programming was also intended to reduce rowdy behavior among students. At night, fresh programming for the next school day was downloaded to the BusRadio units.
In an average hour of BusRadio content, 52 minutes were original programming. The playlist was a mix of pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and urban contemporary
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
songs, edited for the appropriate age groups. BusRadio's music standards claim to be more restrictive than traditional broadcast radio, in which they eliminate all inappropriate lyrics and subject matter to comply with their strict age-appropriateness guidelines.
Programming content, including music and safety messages, was customised for each school district. Districts were also given a say in what songs or messages should be included.
BusRadio conducted occasional contests; one example included Give A Gift, Get A Gift, a December 2007 Holiday contest where students were asked to describe which gift they were most excited to give and whom it was for. Two winners received laptop computers, and charities of their choice were given $200.
Advertising and public service announcements
BusRadio partnered with non-profit organizations to bring PSAs to kids and to reinforce the missions of these organizations. An average of four minutes of every hour of programming was devoted to PSAs and bus safety tips from these and other partners:- City YearCity YearCity Year is an education-focused nonprofit organization that partners with public schools to provide full-time targeted intervention keeping students in school and on track to graduate...
- Students Against Destructive Decisions
- President's Council on Physical Fitness and SportsPresident's Council on Physical Fitness and SportsThe President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition , is an American government organization that aims to "promote, encourage and motivate Americans of all ages to become physically active and participate in sport"...
- Take Pride in AmericaTake Pride in AmericaTake Pride in America is a United States Department of the Interior partnership program that enables individuals, civic groups, corporations and others to volunteer in caring for the lands that Americans as a whole share...
- Stand Up for Kids
- National Eating Disorders AssociationNational Eating Disorders AssociationThe National Eating Disorders Association is an American non-profit organization devoted to preventing eating disorders, providing treatment referrals, and increasing the education and understanding of eating disorders, weight, and body image. It organizes and sponsors National Eating Disorders Week...
- Afterschool Alliance
- Do SomethingDo SomethingDo Something is a non-profit organization that motivates young people to take action around social changes through national campaigns and grants for projects that make an impact. The organization's CEO is Nancy Lublin, who founded Dress for Success in 1996.-History:The organization was co-founded...
- KaBoom
- Ad CouncilAd CouncilThe Advertising Council, commonly known as the Ad Council, is an American non-profit organization that distributes public service announcements on behalf of various sponsors, including non-profit organizations and agencies of the United States government....
- National Association of Pupil Transportation
- National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services
BusRadio included an average of four minutes per hour of paid commercials appropriate for the particular age group. The company encouraged its sponsors to deliver "positive, socially responsible" messages and the company actively sought partnerships with sports and activity-related companies, as well as companies that provide healthy food and drink alternatives. BusRadio claims advertisers for products contrary to the healthy lifestyle mission, such as fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
chains, were not welcome to advertise on BusRadio.
All messages were subject to the strict content guidelines developed by BusRadio’s independent content review board and were carefully reviewed for "age appropriate
Age appropriate
Age appropriate refers to a developmental concept whereby certain activities may be deemed appropriate or inappropriate to a child's "stage" or level of development....
" content and subject matter.
Criticism and Opposition
Advocacy groups have charged that BusRadio exploits a captive audience, exposes children to unwanted advertising, broadcasts content inappropriate for children, and refuses to disclose information to parents about its advertisers and programming.BusRadio has been controversial among parents in some districts which have decided not to allow the service, such as Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. In part because of concerns about BusRadio, South Carolina State Senator Greg Ryberg introduced legislation in February 2008 that would ban advertising on school buses in the state.
In May 2009, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood
Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood
Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood is a "national coalition of health care professionals, educators, advocacy groups, parents, and individuals who care about children [and is] the only national organization devoted to limiting the impact of commercial culture on children." It sponsors the...
requested Congress to examine the music and advertisements featured on BusRadio for their appropriateness and effect on students and bus drivers. In September 2009, the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
released a report stating that BusRadio was not within FCC jurisdiction, and that the decision to use BusRadio was up to the local or state school boards.
Appropriateness of Music
The Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
-based child advocacy group, Obligation, Inc., charges the company with playing songs from CDs which contain explicit lyrics (some marked with "Parental Advisory - Explicit Content" stickers) or songs which have themes which the group deems inappropriate for children. Obligation, Inc. objects to the promotion of these artists to children, even if the specific song chosen has no explicit lyrics, or explicit language has been removed.
Advertising
Despite BusRadio's stating that they work exclusively with socially responsible sponsors, 46 advocacy groups sent a letter in September, 2006 urging national advertisers not to do business with BusRadio or Channel One NewsChannel One News
Channel One News is a 12 minute news program for teens broadcast via satellite to middle schools and high schools across the United States. Channel One is owned by Alloy Media + Marketing and based in New York City.-Program History:...
..
The National Parent-Teacher Association
Parent-Teacher Association
In the U.S. a parent-teacher association or Parent-Teacher-Student Association is a formal organization composed of parents, teachers and staff that is intended to facilitate parental participation in a public or private school. Most public and private K-8 schools in the U.S. have a PTA, a...
specifically objected to lack of control on the part of the school district over selection of music and advertisements, despite BusRadio expressly offering this type of control and personalization.
The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood also targeted Sigma Partners, BusRadio's venture capital firm. In a report, CCFC identified advertisements for Bratz
Bratz
Bratz is an American line of fashion dolls and merchandise manufactured by MGA Entertainment. Four original 10" dolls were released in 2001 - Cloe, Jade, Sasha and Yasmin...
, Answers.com
Answers.com
Answers.com is an Internet-based knowledge exchange, which includes WikiAnswers, ReferenceAnswers, VideoAnswers, and five international language Q&A communities. The Answers.com domain name was purchased by Bill Gross and Henrik Jones at idealab in 1996. The domain name was acquired by NetShepard...
, Cingular, and The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
, which contain direct or indirect messages deemed harmful to children..
Privacy and Secrecy
Some critics expressed concerns about BusRadio collecting personal information about children through its website.. Others want more public disclosure and review of music playlists.However, according to BusRadio, members of the website are not permitted to give information that could identify them in real life and are not allowed to make this information part of their website profile. All user-generated content is reviewed to ensure it does not contain any inappropriate language or personal information. The website conforms to COPPA regulations and instructs users on tips to ensure internet safety for children..
External links
- busradio.net - Official company site
- busradio.com - Listener site
- http://www.obligation.org/busradiohome.php - Obligation, Inc. researches and reports on Bus Radio's often controversial content
- http://commercialfreechildhood.org/actions/busradio.htm - Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood' info page on BusRadio