The
Rhode Island Broadcasters Association has installed NewsTicker Closings
to centralize the collection of closures and delays on behalf of all media
outlets in the state.
After evaluating several vendors, RIBA chose NewsTicker for its robust
platform, streamlined user interface, and ability to notify the public
through various personal messaging platforms.
"This new system will forever change the ways in which the community
communicates with broadcasters, and broadcasters communicate with their
viewers and listeners," said Lori Needham, RIBA's Executive Director.
"The whole process is easier on those organizations closing themselves,
cheaper for stations who benefit from not having to individually maintain
the infrastructure, and convenient to the community who can now be notified
by e-mail, pager, or through their PDA."
Instead of calling each television and radio station individually, schools
and businesses call one number to report their closure. Or, they can use
a secure web interface to enter a custom status. The data is then
transmitted to each station where it is formatted and, in the case of TV
stations, displayed according
to the station's own brand, using their existing hardware. Records are
automatically assigned an expiration date and time based on multiple factors,
allowing the system to handle a school closing event without any human
intervention.
At the heart of the system is a completely redundant platform for ingesting
the closings. "There are multiple methods of data entry, connected to a
back-end of multiple machines, connected to multiple Internet backbones,
fueled by multiple back-up power," said Drew Hahn, Newsroom's Vice President
for Research and Development. "With the entire state relying on
NewsTicker to deliver the operational status of thousands of organizations,
there is no room for downtime."
Rhode Island Broadcasters Association is an association of broadcasters from
both television and radio stations throughout the southern New England area.
Their mission is to promote diversity within their community and follow the
tenets of democracy with the power of unity. RIBA's members meet every three
months and together donate time and sponsorship that will strengthen the
community and provide support and education to better the lives and
communities of all their listeners and viewers.
