Russian Audio Exchange Network (RAEN) - Russia

The project involves a scheme of programme exchanges via the Internet between member radio stations. The network will eventually be open to any independent radio station, i.e. local broadcasters that are not owned by federal or local authorities and are not parts of big commercial franchising networks. However, in the beginning stages of the programme, members are selected on a competitive basis. These broadcasters - which number 30 but are expected to reach 100 - create the RAEN pool of programmes to be syndicated and rebroadcast by the stations in the network. Each of the member broadcasters may upload its best production to the pool of programmes. At the same time, it enjoys the right to download the programmes of all other member stations and to air them free of charge. Selection of programmes is made by a team of the Foundation for Independent Radio Broadcasting (FNR) producers.

The pool of the programmes is accumulated at a website that is accessible to the member broadcasters; in order to observe the copyright of the producers, the site is password-protected. Each member radio station is equipped with the SmartBoxR, a tool designed and distributed free of charge by the FNR to facilitate file transfer. The SmartBoxR automatically defines at what time of the day the Internet connection is stable and the traffic is low, and exchanges files with the project server. The tool is especially designed for the stations that use dial-up connections to the Internet. Selected programmes are automatically converted from wave format to mp3 format with the help of the SmartBoxR. The syndicated programmes are stored in mp3 format on the FNR server for the period of time needed for partners to exchange programmes. Statistics of the uploaded and downloaded files are run automatically. Programmes of a lower download rating are removed from the list and replaced with new ones. Rating of the programmes is monitored by the FNR producer.

Technology.

FNR's mission is to provide unbiased, reliable, and useful information to promote the development of Russian radio and to ensure the free dissemination of knowledge. In the longer term, the network hopes to be self-sustainable. It is hoped that financial independence will be achieved through development of the strong advertising department, which will attract both national and local advertisers to the network.