National Public Radio (NPR) has introduced an API that it says will allow developers to serve up mashups that include audio, images, and full text articles from the non-profit media organization’s archives that go as far back as 1995. You can access an overview of the new API here.
The blurb we received about the release stated that the material available covers “nearly the full depth and breadth of NPR content”, but the terms of service show that this isn’t quite honest. Video content is excluded entirely from the API, along with a number of programs that include The Diane Rehm Show, Radio Labs, Fresh Air and Car Talk. Some of these exclusions are likely due to licensing issues, but the lack of video is frustrating.
Even if NPR isn’t being quite as open as it could be, it represents one of the first media companies to release an API. Most news organizations are often obsessive when it comes to controlling their content, and they dread the prospect of allowing developers to use it as they’d like. The concept of widgets has begun to catch on (you can see CNN’s offerings here), but for the most part, independent developers still don’t have a way to create their own mashups. Another media organization that is making inroads in this space is the New York Times, which intends to release an API some time this summer.
Here’s a sample mashup that uses NPR’s API:
Wow, API on the web is exploding just like Bill Gates said it would in his speech 2 years ago.
I love NPR, I remember a couple of years ago that legislation was being passed that would increase the fees for music syndication on the radio. NPR was leading the way against the bill, that would have probably shut them down. I wrote to my senators and representative explaining how they were the only FM station with good quality content.
Made my day!
This is fantastic. Very exciting.
It is very exciting. They have TONS of content out there that’s now exposed to all of us crazy people who will mashup, syndicate, and manipulate all of it.
It’s a great day to be data hosted on npr.org!
Interesting. Not three months ago I got a letter from one Theodore Snead of NPR “permissions” saying I needed to take down an image I’d used from one of their stories — which I had properly cited, and should be able to use on a personal blog regardless. I was disappointed but not surprised, NPR being old media that it is. Funny thing was the email suggested I insert a “passive text link” in place of the image. Um, if he would have actually read the post, which was free advertising for both the photographer and NPR, he would have noticed I’d already linked to the story. His letter was as follows (since I know we all like to post such things here on TechCrunch *wink*):
Hello Aesthetic Elevator,
I am writing to you with respect to your posting of a NPR photo as a link to NPR.org on your website, posted April 22, 2008. The photo of Ms. Levin’s living room is copyrighted photo and must be removed from your site post haste.
There is an alternative link one can use to share the NPR story and pictures regarding Ms. Levin’s remodeling project with your readers. You can post a passive text link on your site that would re-direct visitors to see the story in its entirety at NPR.org. If you are interested in this option, please let me know. I can forward to you the particulars on a passive text link.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Theodore Snead
Permissions
NPR
Hope they’ve changed their tune.
NPR= National Public RADIO
You wanted “their” video? Not sure they own that.
Also, many people confuse PRI (Public Radio International) and NPR, mostly because the same radio stations carry shows from both. However, that does not mean they are syndicated under the same licenses (you alluded to this idea).
I only *know* this from listening. Maybe an expert will chime in…
Great.
Feldman, just let it go. New topic! Your site is going into the shitter! I still don’t care, quit milking it.
What does this have to do with the iPhone?
@Frank: Usually I agree with every word you say but not today. Loren’s site is just fine.
NPR both produces and distributes shows. The shows you list as unavailable are owned by other entities and stations (WAMU for Diane Rehm), so you are right that it’s a licensing issue.
Also, as Frank points out, there are other radio entities like local stations, BBC, CBC, PRI, and APM who may own/produce the radio shows you hear. Marketplace, for example, is an APM show not NPR.
As for video, NPR doesn’t produce much, but PBS sure does. Different companies completely.
Maybe there’s no video, because its National Public RADIO!
I just wanted to chime in and address some of the questions raised in this post. I address most of them in my recent post to the Inside NPR.org blog, particularly around rights and exclusions.
Regarding video, NPR does produce some very rich, interesting video content and our intention is to open that content up to through the API in the near-term. That said, our goal was to release a robust API that contains a substantial offering of our content. Although video is becoming increasingly important to NPR, it still accounts for less than .5% of multi-media assets available in our system.
I will continue to post to Inside NPR.org with updates to the API.
will be interesting to see how this spins out.