Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BROKERING THE PUBLICATION OF MEDIA CONTENT
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The following relates to systems and methods for brokering the
publication of media
content.
DESCRIPTION OF-THE RELATED ART
[0002] Media outlets such as newspapers and news broadcasters have been
challenged in
recent times due to several factors, including, without limitation, relatively
high fixed overheads,
lower revenue with the demand for free digital editions, and the growth of
alternative digital
advertising options for traditional businesses.
[0003] Part of the relatively high fixed overheads can be in paying for
journalistic talent to
generate news and other media content. In response, some media outlets have
begun to buy
content from news bureaus such as the Associated Press (AP), use freelance
journalists; or
publish free content provided by the general public, or so called "vanity"
articles providing
opinion content.
[0004] Another way media outlets have adapted to these changing conditions
is to use
digital editions as a replacement for printed versions. However, such
electronic editions
typically only work in a paid-for subscription type model with very high
readership/viewership,
which often demand high quality content. Accordingly, media outlets face
challenges in trying to
meet consumers' demands to have high quality content at little or no cost.
[0005] It is an object of the following to address at least one of these
disadvantages.
SUMMARY
[0006] A system and method are provided for connecting producers of digital
content (e.g.
text, images, video, sound, etc.) with publishers of same for the completion
of a commercial
transaction. In at least one aspect, the system may also connect the producers
of content in
physical form (e.g., paper, video/audio tape or disc, photograph, etc.) with
such publishers for
the completion of a commercial transaction.
[0007] In one aspect, there is provided a method of enabling the
publication of media
content, the method comprising: enabling a producer of media content to post
at least one
media item to an online platform; providing access to the at least one media
item via the online
platform to at least one publisher registered with the online platform;
receiving a request from a
-1-
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
publisher to obtain rights to a particular media item posted by the producer;
and enabling the
publisher and the producer to perform a transaction transferring the rights to
the particular
media item from the producer to the publisher using the online platform.
[0008] In another aspect, there is provided a computer readable storage
medium
comprising computer executable instructions for performing the method.
[0009] In yet another aspect, there is provided a system comprising at
least one processor,
memory, and at least one communication interface, the memory comprising
computer
executable instructions for causing the processor to perform the method.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Embodiments will now be described by way of example only with
reference to the
appended drawings wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a media brokering system;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example of a configuration for a
content producer
device;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example of a configuration for a
content purchaser
device;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example of a configuration for a
media brokering
platform;
[0015] FIG. 5 is an example of a set of computer executable instructions
that may be
executed in enabling a buyer and a seller to interact with a media brokering
plafform;
[0016] FIG. 6 is an example of a set of computer executable instructions
that may be
executed in registering sellers and buyers of media content;
[0017] FIG. 7 is an example of a set of computer executable instructions
that may be
executed in enabling content to be submitted to the media brokering platform;
[0018] FIG. 8A is an example of a set of computer executable instructions
that may be
executed in enabling a buyer search to be conducted;
[0019] FIG. 8B is an example of a set of computer executable instructions
that may be
executed in enabling a content search to be conducted;
- 2 -
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
[0020] FIG. 9 is an example of a set of computer executable instructions
that may be
executed in initiating and conducting a live auction of media content;
[0021] FIG. 10 is an example of a set of computer executable instructions
that may be
executed in enabling a purchase of media content to occur;
[0022] FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a content producer entry into a
public portal for
the media brokering system;
[0023] FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating a content publisher entry into
a public portal for
the media brokering system;
[0024] FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating dashboard navigation options
for a content
producer;
[0025] FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating dashboard navigation options
for a content
producer;
[0026] FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating options for offering content
for sale;
[0027] FIG. 16 is a flow chart illustrating options for searching for
content to buy;
[0028] FIG. 17 is a flow chart illustrating transaction operations for a
content producer
selling content;
[0029] FIG. 18 is a flow chart illustrating transaction operations for a
content publisher
buying content;
[0030] FIG. 19 is a flow chart illustrating transaction finalization
operations for a content
producer;
[0031] FIG. 20 is a flow chart illustrating transaction finalization
operations for a content
publisher;
[0032] FIG. 21 is a flow chart illustrating sale options for a content
producer;
[0033] FIG. 22 is a flow chart illustrating operations for generating a
request for production
(RFP) of media content;
[0034] FIG. 23 is a flow chart illustrating access to databases accessible
to content
producers via a producer portal;
-3-
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
[0035] FIG. 24 is a flow chart illustrating access to databases accessible
to content
publishers via a publisher portal;
[0036] FIG. 25 is a flow chart illustrating an example of an end-to-end
user interface
workflow for interacting with a media brokering platform;
[0037] FIG. 26 is a screen shot of an example user interface for a main web
page provided
by a media brokering platform;
[0038] FIG. 27 is a screen shot of an example user interface illustrating
options for
producers (contributors) of media content;
[0039] FIG. 28 is a screen shot of an example user interface for providing
instructions on
submitting media content in a physical form;
[0040] FIG. 29 is a screen shot of an example user interface for enabling a
producer of
media content to register with the media brokering system;
[0041] FIG. 30 is a screen shot of an example user interface for enabling a
producer of
content to submit new content for sale;
[0042] FIG. 31 is a screen shot of an example user interface for enabling a
producer to
search for buyers;
[0043] FIG. 32 is a screen shot of an example user interface for enabling a
producer of
content to search for requests for proposals (RFPs) generated by publishers of
media content;
[0044] FIG. 33 is a screen shot of an example user interface for enabling a
producer to
submit video-based media content;
[0045] FIG. 34 is a screen shot of an example user interface for enabling a
publisher to
complete an agreement with the media brokering system;
[0046] FIG. 35 is a screen shot of an example user interface for enabling
access to a live
auction hosted by the media brokering platform;
[0047] FIG. 36 is a screen shot of an example user interface illustrating
options for a
publisher of media content;
[0048] FIG. 37 is a screen shot of an example user interface for enabling a
publisher to
view video news;
-4-
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
*
[0049] FIG. 38 is a screen shot of an example user interface for
enabling a publisher to
view text-based news;
[0050] FIG. 39 is a screen shot of an example user interface for
enabling a publisher to
view photo-based news; and
[0051] FIG. 40 is a screen shot of an example user interface for
enabling a search to be
conducted of a content repository in the media brokering system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0052] For simplicity and clarity of illustration, where considered
appropriate, reference
numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or
analogous elements.
In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a
thorough understanding
of the examples described herein. However, it will be understood by those of
ordinary skill in the
art that the examples described herein may be practiced without these specific
details. In other
instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been
described in detail
so as not to obscure the examples described herein. Also, the description is
not to be
considered as limiting the scope of the examples described herein.
[0053] It will be appreciated that the examples and corresponding
diagrams used herein are
for illustrative purposes only. Different configurations and terminology can
be used without
departing from the principles expressed herein. For instance, components and
modules can be
added, deleted, modified, or arranged with differing connections without
departing from these
principles.
[0054] It has been recognized that there does not currently exist,
a viable technical solution
in a digital marketplace for media content (e.g., text, images, video, and
audio) that allows
publishers of this content to reduce their costs while providing adequate
remuneration for
producers of such media content. The following system provides such a
technical solution by
having a platform acting as broker between potential sellers of content (i.e.
the content
producers) and the potential buyers of this content (i.e. the content
publishers). The media
brokering system described herein facilitates the submission of media content
through a
centralized platform creating a virtual marketplace for selling media content,
for example,
_
through direct sales, auctions, or syndication to allow publishers to legally
obtain publishing
rights in a trusted manner. The media platform also facilitates
communications, exchanges of
information between parties, and discussions between these parties, and allows
for other
- 5 -
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
mechanisms such as requests for proposals (RFPs) for particular media content
that publishers
are seeking. Upon matching produced content with a potential publisher, the
media brokering
platform also facilitates financial transactions of the media content, along
with the underlying
copyright associated with the media content.
[0055] In this way, a free marketplace can be provided for the exchange of
journalistic and
other media content for remuneration that allows negotiation and
communications between the
sellers and the buyers to seek a more accurate market value for particular
content. As
discussed in greater detail below, the system described herein also provides a
controllable
platform that enables performance measures and controls to be applied with
respect to the
content, e.g. to detect and thwart plagiarism and/or illicit re-publication of
content.
[0056] In addition to facilitating direct interactions and transactions,
the repository of content
held by the media brokering platform enables publishers to browse available
content, enter live
auctions or promotional processes, and post desired content or topics to
stimulate the creation
of particular media content by willing producers.
[0057] Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a
configuration for a
media brokering system 8 which provides a media brokering plafform 10 (the
"platform 10"
hereinafter) accessible and communicable with content producers 12 (i.e.
"sellers" of media
content) and content publishers 14 (i.e. the "buyers" of media content). The
content producers
12 and content publishers 14 may communicate with the platform 10 via one or
more networks
16, such as the Internet, cellular networks, data-over-power, etc. As
illustrated in FIG. 1 by way
of example, the content producers 12 may also communicate with the platform 10
using a
physical channel 22 such as a postal or courier service in order to deliver a
physical medium 18
comprising the particular content to be processed and incorporated into the
system 8 by the
platform 10.
[0068] As indicated above, such media content may include text, images,
video, and audio,
any of which may include particular types of media, such as news content.
Although the
following examples relate illustratively to examples in which the sale of news
content is being
brokered, it will be appreciated that the principles described herein can be
applied to any type of
media content, for example, technical or legal literature or video/image
content, etc.
[0059] Various types of devices facilitating the provision of media content
by content
producers 12 to the platform 10 are shown in FIG. 1, including a smartphone,
tablet computer or
-6-
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
1
other handheld or "mobile" device 12a and a desktop computer 12b. It can be
appreciated that
any electronic device capable of sending digital content via a network 16 to
the platform 10 may
be used. A user 12c is also shown in FIG. 1 to illustrate the provision of a
physical medium 18
via the physical channel 22.
[0060] The content publisher 14 also communicates and interfaces with the
platform 10 via
one or more networks 16 and upon obtaining desired media content (typically in
electronic
form), the content publisher 14 can utilize the desired media content in both
electronic
publications (e.g., via digital news editions, television, radio, social
media, weblogs, etc.), and
print publications (e.g. newspapers, magazines, circulars, etc.). As such, for
electronic
publications, the content publisher 14 may re-engage the one or more networks
14 in order to
electronically distribute the media content, which may include delivery of the
content to the
same types of devices 12a, 12b utilized to submit the content in the first
place (see dashed lines
in FIG. 1). The print publications may utilize traditional forms of print
distribution 20 with the
content being sourced using the platform 10 rather than staff or freelance
talent.
[0061] An example of a content producer device 12a, 12b is shown in FIG. 2.
The device
12a, 12b includes at least one communication interface 30 for accessing the
one or more
networks 14. In order to access a user interface and portal provided by the
platform 10, the
content producer device 12a, 12b may include a browser 32 or application (e.g.
custom "app" 34
as shown in FIG. 2). The content producer device 12a, 12b also includes an
electronic storage
36 or other memory element to at least temporarily store media content
generated by a content
generator 38. As shown in FIG. 2, the content generator 38 can reside on the
device 12a, 12b
(e.g. Word processor, camera, microphone, etc.).
[0062] Alternatively, media content may be generated by an external content
generator 38',
which can upload digital content to the device 12a, 12b via a media interface
40 (e.g. via a
media card or network connection) or may generate physical media 18 which is
sent using a
physical channel 22.
[0063] It can be appreciated that media interface 40 may be provided by one
or more of the
communication interfaces 30 and the configuration shown in FIG. 2 is
illustrative only.
Moreover, since the media content may be generated outside of the device 12a,
12b and sent
via a physical channel 22, the content producer 12 may not require a device
12, 12b in order to
provide the media content. However, as illustrated below, the content producer
12
-7-
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
=
advantageously interfaces with the platform 10 at least to determine how to
provide physical
media 18 and/or to register and communicate regarding such physical media 18.
[0064] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a content publisher device 14a,
which may also
comprise a mobile or desktop computer. Similar to the content producer device
12a, 12b, the
content publisher device 14a includes at least one communication interface 50
to interact with
the platform 10 over the one or more networks 14, a browser 52 and/or app 54
to provide a user
interface, and electronic storage 56 or other memory element to at least
temporarily store
acquired media content. In this example, the content publisher device 14a also
includes a
publication module 58 which may represent any application, interface, or
program instructions
that enable media content acquired from the plafform 10 to be provided to an
appropriate
content publication channel (electronic, print, etc.). It can be appreciated
that the publication
module 58 may utilize the at least one communication interface 50 to send the
media content to
a publication mechanism electronically.
[0065] An example of a configuration for the plafform 10 is shown in FIG.
4. Similar to the
devices shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the plafform 10 also includes at least one
communication
interface 70 to enable the plafform 10 to interact with the content producers
12 and content
publishers 14 via the one or more networks 14. The platform 10 also includes a
server
application and web front end 72 (the "server application 72" hereinafter) to
provide the virtual
marketplace and facilitate communications and transactions between the content
producers 12
and content publishers 14. As discussed in greater detail below, such
communications can be
initiated by the producers 12/publishers 14 or by the platform 10, e.g. to
react to breaking news
uploaded by a producer 12. As will be illustrated in greater detail below, the
server application
72 provides a web page and various user interfaces for interacting with the
platform 10 and to
initiate communications and transactions with other participants. The server
application 72 may
include or otherwise have access to client data 74, which may store
registration and profile
information for registered users, for example, users associated with the
content producers 12
and content publishers 14.
[0066] The platform 10 in this example includes or otherwise has access to
a content
repository 76, which stores media content. It can be appreciated that the
content repository 76
may utilize any suitable data structure such as a database, media memory, etc.
The content
repository 76 may be located at least in part in a location remote to the
plafform 10, e.g. in the
"cloud". Moreover, the content repository 76 may be structured to maintain
lists of available
- 8 -
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
content in the plafform 10 with the actual content stored elsewhere. As such,
it can be
appreciated that the configuration shown in FIG. 4 is illustrative only.
[0067] In the example shown in FIG. 4, the content repository 76 stores
media content that
is for sale or for auction 78, stores media content that is for syndication
80, and may store
unsold or archived content 82. It can be appreciated that the platform 10 can
be adapted or
replicated for any number of subjects and purposes, for example, topics may
include news,
"oped"s, travel, food, etc. Moreover, content may be used for company annual
reports,
advertorials, public relations, technical journals, etc. Such content may be
similarly integrated
into the platform 10 or a version thereof using RFPs. With respect to RFPs, it
can be
appreciated that the server application 72 can be configured to support an RFP
or
"commissioning" engine or module accessible to the publishers 14 to enable
publisher-
subscribers to put projects up for bid. For example, a publisher 14 could post
a request such as
"Editor X needs 2000 word feature on holiday cake recipes with photos for
print and online" in a
particular region. In another example, a news outlet or publication could
post: "Need G20 main-
in-the-street coverage and photos/video/etc. for broadcast within North
America". Therefore,
the platform 10 can provide a convenient mechanism for editors to set forth
the content they
wish to acquire for a particular issue, episode, program, documentary, etc.
and have access to
registered users and the associated talent and access to the content they
desire.
[0068] To enable physical content 18 to be incorporated into the system 8,
the platform 10
may also include or otherwise have access to a physical media transformer 84,
which
represents any application, tool, or machine that enables a physical medium 18
to be converted
into an electronic format suitable for storage in the content repository 76.
For example, the
physical media transformer 84 may include a digital scanner, media interface,
word processor,
microphone, etc.
[0069] Turning now to FIG. 5 example interactions between the platform 10,
a content
producer 12, and a content publisher 14 are shown to illustrate the provision
and acquisition of
media content brokered by the platform 10. At 100 the platform 10 enables
access to the
system 8, e.g., by providing a web page or other "front end" via a server
application 72. This
enables the publisher 14 to access the system 8 at 102 and register at 104,
and the producer 12
to access the system 8 at 106 and register at 108. The platform 10 therefore
executes and
enables the registration process to occur at 110. It can be appreciated that
the registration
operations would only be required for new users and that in subsequent visits,
the publishers 14
-9-
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
=
and producers 12 would participate in a login or other authentication process
instead (not shown
in FIG. 5 for ease of illustration).
[0070] Registered users may then engage each other and otherwise interact
with the
system 8 via the platform 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a publisher 14
may submit an
RFP at 112 to have particular content generated. The plafform 10 receives and
publishes the
RFP at 114 and this allows a producer 12 to review the RFP at 116, which may
contribute to
creating specific content at 122 which is submitted at 124. It can be
appreciate that, as
illustrated using dashed lines in FIG. 5, the RFP process is optional and may
only be used for
some particular media content. As described below, other media content may be
asynchronously uploaded and found via the plafform 10.
[0071] At 118 the platform 10 enables access to content in its content
repository 76, for
example, by providing a search function through a web page which has access to
at least a
listing of available content and may include additional metadata to facilitate
the search. In the
example shown in FIG. 5, the publisher 14 searches for content at 120, in this
case, which has
been previously submitted by the producer 12 at 124. A request for purchase
may be made by
the publisher 14 at 126, which initiates the facilitation of a transaction by
the platform 10 at 128.
For example, the request at 126 may be received via an auction bid or a direct
request to buy
the content at a set price. During the transaction, an offer for the content
is provided to the
producer 12, which is received at 130. For example, a request to purchase the
content may be
sent via an email, text message, instant message, social media communication,
application
update, voicemail or other communication method.
[0072] At 132 the producer 12 has determined based on the offer whether or
not to sell the
content. If so, the transaction proceeds and finalizes with the publisher 14
receiving the content
at 134. The publisher 14 at this point owns at least some rights to publish
the content at 136. If
the producer 12 does not sell the content at 132, for example if the offer is
refused, or an offer is
not received (e.g. a failed auction or timeout for the sale), the producer 12
in this example may
approve syndication of the content at 138, which allows multiple publishers 14
to republish the
content on a non-exclusive basis at a reduced cost. It can be appreciated that
the content may
also be initially offered for syndication at a fixed price. Also, a publisher
14 or other buyer of
content may also be given the option or ability to syndicate content that was
purchased on an
exclusive basis. Moreover, publishers 14 may also register with the platform
10 as sellers of
- 10 -
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
,
content, e.g. to unload content from a library of acquired content, e.g. to
allow syndication of
that content.
[0073] Following any transaction or syndication of the media content, the
platform 10
updates the content repository 76 at 140. For example, purchased media content
may be
removed post-sale or its status changed to "syndicated" if syndication is
approved at 138.
[0074] Further detail regarding the registration processes 104 and 108 is
illustrated in FIG.
6. The platform 10 (e.g. via the server application 72) detects a request to
register at 150. For
ease of illustration it will be appreciated that the request may be made by
either a producer 12
or a publisher 14, e.g. by selecting a link or tab in on a web page. The
platform 10 displays at
registration page at 152 and determines at 154 whether or not the registration
fields (e.g. the
mandatory fields) have been completed. If not, an error or other message may
be provided at
156. Once the registration fields have been completed if the registrant is a
producer 12, the
plafform 10 validates the contributor at 160 (e.g. by ensuring a duplicate
registration does not
exist, etc.), and completes the registration at 162, e.g. by creating a new
user in the client data
74.
[0075] If the registrant is a publisher 14, the platform 10 enables a
contract to be completed
at 164. The contract is provided in order to have the publisher 14 agree to
certain terms for
publication, e.g., exclusivity, ownership, etc. An example of such a contract
is provided below.
The plafform 10 determines at 166 whether the contract has been completed. If
not, the
registration process is cancelled at 168. For example, the registrant may
cancel the process or
not properly complete the contract. If the contract is completed, the
registrant is validated by
the plafform 10 at 170 and the registration for that publisher 14 completed at
172. Publisher
registration may also be subject to (a) a review to ensure that registrant
meets predetermined
criteria for being a publisher 14, (b) approval by an administrator of the
platform 10 once these
criteria have been reviewed and the contract completed and confirmed, and (c)
a probationary
period (e.g. 90 days) during which any violation of particular criteria (e.g.
terms of agreement)
can cause cancellation or suspension of an account.
[0076] It can be appreciated that the registration processes 104 and 108
are shown
together in FIG. 6 for ease of illustration and these processes may be
implemented separately.
For example, the request detected at 150 may inherently determine whether or
not the
registrant is a prospective producer 12 or a publisher 14 by virtue of which
link or on which web
page the request is initiated.
- 11 -
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
[0077] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a set of operations that may be
executed by the
platform 10 in enabling media content to be submitted to the system 8. At 200
the platform 10
detects a request to submit content and determines a type of request at 202.
If it is determined
that the user is requesting to submit physical content, the platform 10
displays an instruction
page at 204 to enable the producer 12 to determine how to submit using a
physical channel 22.
If it is determined that the user is requesting to submit electronic content,
e.g., directly through
the server application 72, the platform 10 displays an entry page at 206 to
allow information
associated with the media content, and even the content itself to be entered.
For example, a
text-based news article may be submitted by copying the text directly into the
web page. The
content may also be uploaded using a corresponding option. For example, an
option to "Upload
Video" or "Upload Article" may be presented and selected by the user. The
platform 10
determines at 208 whether or not the content has been submitted (e.g. by
determining when a
"Submit" button has been selected). Once submitted, the platform 10 receives
the content and
any information or metadata provided with the content at 210 and saves the new
content to the
content repository 78 at 212. Once the content is saved in the system 8, the
platform 10 may
enable the sale of this content at 214, e.g., by scheduling an auction,
posting the content for
sale, etc.
[0078] FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate processes 120, 270, that may be executed
into enabling
potential buyers and content to be searched respectively. As shown in FIG. 8A,
at 250 the
platform 10 enables the entry of search criteria and determines whether a
query has been
submitted at 252. If so, a search for potential buyers is conducted at 254
according to the
search criteria, for example, registered publishers 14 in a particular
geographical location,
publishers 14 requesting certain types of content (whether specific RFPs or
otherwise), etc.
The platform 10 determines at 256 whether or not the search has returned any
positive results.
If so, the potential publishers 14 are displayed at 258 for the content
producer 12 conducting the
search. The platform 10 may also enable contact to be made with particular
publishers 14
and/or a live chat to be initiated at 260, e.g. to allow the content producer
12 to propose
particular media content or to propose ongoing arrangements to buy particular
content.
[0079] As shown in FIG. 8B, the platform 10 may similarly enable entry of
search criteria at
272 for searching content in the content repository 78. After determining at
274 that search
criteria have been entered, the platform 10 conducts a content search at 276.
If content is
found at 278 according to the search criteria, the search results, e.g. a list
of content is
- 12 -
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
displayed at 280. The platform 10 may at this point enable a direct purchase
or participation in
a current auction at 282, and/or enable the publisher 14 to initiate a
communication such as a
live chat at 282.
[0080] It has been recognized that in order to promote new and/or
particularly interesting or
"in demand" media content, the platform 10 provides an advantageous venue to
facilitate
auctions for the media content. In addition to regular auctions that can be
initiated by the
content producer 12, it has been found that the platform 10 may also schedule
live auctions for
such in demand content. An example of a live auction process 300 is shown in
FIG. 9. The
platform 10 may be controlled by one or more administrators that determine
"top content" and
schedule live auctions, e.g. live daily auctions. At 302 the platform 10
detects a starting time for
the live auction and determines the top content for the auction at 304. The
auction may include
several "lots" in one auction session or may initiate several concurrent
auctions at that time.
The one or more auctions are then initiated at 306 and continue until it is
determined by the
platform 10 at 308 that the auction(s) is/are completed. For example, each
live auction may
occur for a predetermined amount of time and/or may include a "buy now" option
which would
immediately end the auction. Once the live auction is completed, the plafform
10 determines if
there has been a purchase made at 310. If not, the auction process repeats at
the next
scheduled time. If a purchase was made, the sale of the content is enabled at
312, which may
include the initiation of a communication such as a live chat between the
content producer 12
and the content publisher 14 at 312.
[0081] Tuming now to FIG. 10, further detail for implementing the
facilitation of a transaction
e.g., at 128 in FIG. 5, is shown. At 350, the plafform 10 receives content,
populates the
repository 78 with that content at 352, and enables the content to be
purchased at 354, as
discussed above. The plafform 10 determines that type of sale associated with
the content,
which may be according to the type of content, options selected by the content
producer 12, or =
other criteria. For an auction sale, the platform 10 configures the auction at
358, e.g., to set
reserve prices, timelines, etc. The platform 10 may also determine at 360
whether or not the
content is considered "top content". If not, a regular auction is opened or
otherwise initiated at
362. On the other hand, if the content is determined to be top content, this
content is added to a
live auction list at 364. The platform 10 also enables a post-auction sale or
other transaction at
366.
-13-
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
4
,
[0082] When the type of sale is to meet the demands of an RFP, the
platform 10 matches
the content to the RFP originator at 368. When the type of sale is a regular
direct purchase or
"listing", the platform 10 lists the content for sale at 370, and enables the
sale at 372.
[0083] The above-described operations shown in FIG. 10 are
facilitating the seller's side of
the transaction. On the other side of the transaction, the platform 10
receives a content
purchase request at 374 and determines the type of purchase at 376. If the
platform 10
determines at 378 that the purchase is direct, the direct purchase is enabled
in conjunction with
372. If not, the platform 10 determines at 380 whether or not the transaction
is related to an
RFP. If so, the publisher 14 is associated with the original RFP and is
matched with the content
producer 12 at 368. In this example, the transaction is otherwise associated
with an auction
and the transaction post-auction is enabled at 366 as described above.
[0084] FIGS. 11 to 25 illustrate various exemplary navigational flow
charts illustrating user
interactions with the plafform 10, from both the content producer's and the
content publisher's
perspective. Turning first to FIGS. 11 and 12, registration flows 400 and 410
are shown for the
producer 12 and publisher 14 respectively. In FIGS. 11 and 12, it can be seen
that a public
portal can be accessed by any potential producer 12 or publisher 14 with the
ability to register
either upon request, or upon trying to buy or sell content. For example, the
plafform 10 can
freeze all links except the registration link, or have any clickable link
automatically request
registration. Once registered, the producer 12 or publisher 14 may be
navigated to a
dashboard, which can be customized and/or personalized by respective users.
For registered
users, it can be appreciated that such users may also be able to login to the
public portal
through the same webpage. It can also be appreciated that post-registration,
users may
download a custom client application to avoid the need to login in on
subsequent visits.
[0085] During the registration process, the platform 10 may require
mandatory information
to be entered, e.g. to ensure that potential publishers 14 and producers 12
can be validated.
For example, publishers 14 may require a validation process to confirm the
identity and
legitimacy of the underlying business associated with the publisher 14 and/or
to determine a
credit rating or any other suitable validation metric. For both producers 12
and publishers 14, a
"Terms of Use" for the platform 10 can also be imposed during the registration
process. As will
be illustrated in greater detail below, the terms of use and any other
contractual arrangement
with the platform 10 may be subjected to a clause-by-clause acceptance
procedure. The
registration process may also impose a probationary period for new users (e.g.
producers 12)to
- 14 -
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
use the system 8 with participation monitored by an administrator to ensure
quality control and
other standards to be met.
[0086] FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate various options that may be provided
through the producer
dashboard 420 and the publisher dashboard 430 respectively. The dashboards may
be
provided as functional tools for the user to navigate through appropriate
regions of the platform
10.
[0087] As shown in the example of FIG. 13, the producer's dashboard may
include the
following options:
[0088] (1) Scrolled link lists to saved personal content, for example: a.
database of content
submitted for sale, and/or draft content in progress which will be uploaded at
a later time; b.
transaction database that includes records of all transactions; and
[0089] (2) Other links such as: a. complete/edit profile; b. search: RFPs
and publishers 14;
c. saved links (e.g. searches) which may include an RSS feed of RFP offerings
based upon
fields within the producer's profile; d. mobile upload which allows content to
be posted from a
mobile phone or other portable device such as a camera or embedded computing
device, etc.
[0090] A utilities option can also be provided to include a text or instant
messenger and "live
chat" which can be established with a relevant publisher during or subsequent
to a transaction.
[0091] As shown in FIG. 14, the publisher's dashboard may include the
following options:
[0092] (1) A "Hot List" containing a comprehensive RSS of links to titles
of content added to
the website since the publisher's last visit (e.g., sorted in declining order
according to the
number of times the content summary was previewed by publishers);
[0093] (2) "Top Stories" where site administrators identify content
submissions considered
to be of high quality, which may be placed in boxes "above the fold" and
contain a synopsis, a
picture or thumbnail (if relevant) of the producer and the syndicated sale
price or current auction
amount;
[0094] (3) "Content Ticker" which comprises a "scrolling" RSS or other feed
with items
posted in real time as offered for sale with each link having the following
information: a. a
synopsis, b. a link to the producer's profile, and c. the current "auction" or
"syndication" price.
These links, when clicked, may navigate directly to a "Content Item Profile"
which will allow an
- 15 -
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
auction bid to be made or Syndicated Content rights to be acquired. Content
Profiles can be
imbedded in a protected graphic file that cannot be copied, downloaded or
printed; and
[0095] (4) Other links which may include without limitation: a.
complete/edit corporate and
personal profile, b. "Saved Links" database of searches and RSS feeds based
upon a
publisher's "Interest List Profile", c. "Purchased Content", which includes a
database of content
acquired by the publisher 14, d. a database of RFPs issued and in progress, e.
transaction
records, and f. an option to search for producers 12.
[0096] Similar to that for producers 12, the publisher's dashboard may also
include a utilities
option that includes a text or instant messenger and "live chat" which can be
established with a
relevant publisher during or subsequent to a transaction.
[0097] FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate exemplary workflows leading to the
submission of content
for sale by a producer 12, and the purchase of content by a publisher 14.
[0098] As shown in FIG. 15, producers 12 may use the platform 10 to sell
content by either
responding to RFPs or offering or posting content through the platform 10 for
sale. In the
example shown in FIG. 15, after searching for RFPs, and RFP response can be
submitted
through portal 10 and may include a direct communication with the originator
of the RFP, e.g. by
way of a live chat (voice, instant messaging, video, etc.) or one-way
communication such as a
text message or email. When offering content for sale (e.g. flash news,
content drafts, etc. as
shown in FIG. 15), a producer 12 can establish pricing and terms of the sale
by offering a fixed
price available to any publisher 14 who is interested in acquiring rights to
the content (as well as
the number of publishers 14 that may purchase, i.e. the exclusivity of the
content), or by offering
content for auction. When setting terms for an auction, various options may be
provided to the
producers 12, including the ability to set a reserve price, opening bid, a
number of publishers 14
who are permitted to purchase rights (i.e. if the content is being sold on a
non-exclusive basis),
and the time limits associated with the auction itself. As indicated above,
live auctions may also
be held by the platform 10, in which case, the producer 12 may be given an
option to opt in or
opt out of participating live in auctions for "top content". As discussed
above, the platform 10
may utilize an anti-plagiarism tool or module to review content offered for
sale (and sample
content provided during registration) to track plagiarism of legitimate
content by third parties
subsequent to publication. For example, keywords or phrases may be extracted
from the
content and a web search conducted to determine if all or portions of the
content can be found.
Similarly, image processing can be used to determine if similar images or
videos can be found
- 16 -
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
online. Any other data available to the platform 10 could also be used, for
example, metadata,
administrator-supplied criteria, etc.
[0099] FIG. 16 illustrates various ways for publishers 14 to purchase or
otherwise acquire
content through the platform 10. The publisher 14 can dictate the type of
content it is interested
in by generating an RFP to allow producers 12 to apply to complete the content
"on demand".
The RFP process is managed by the portal 10 to provide the publishers 14 with
access to
registered and validated producers 12 and may provide ratings, rankings, past
work, and
recognitions concerning the potential producers 12 to allow the publishers 14
to select the most
appropriate producer 12 to fulfill the RFP. Similar to what is shown in FIG.
15, the RFP process
may also include the initiation of direct communications between producers 12
and publishers
14 participating in the RFP process.
[00100] The publishers 14 may also purchase content that is being offered for
sale by
producers 12, e.g., for participating in an auction for the content, or by
pursuing a direct
purchase. For example, content offered for sale can be acquired from various
lists, such as: a
"Top Stories" list, a "Hot List" which ranks content by the number of times
they have been
looked at, and the "Content Ticker" list which ranks content by time and date
offered for sale
with the newest at the top.
[00101] FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate exemplary workflows for enabling
transactions to take
place, from the perspective of the producer 12 and publisher 14 respectively.
[00102] In FIG. 17, in parallel with selling content through an auction or
syndication the
producer 12 may engage in communications with potential purchasers, e.g. via
chats, message
exchanges, voice or video chats, etc. Moreover, after a successful auction,
the winning
publisher 14 can be put in touch with the producer using any one or more of
these
communication media. The platform 10 also facilitates the transaction once the
sale is agreed
upon. Publishers 14 may also be given a mechanism to report misuse of the
communications
tools provided by the platform 10.
[00103] FIG. 18 illustrates the transaction flow from the perspective of
the publisher 14
interacting with the platform 10. Content may be purchased whether or not an
RFP selection is
utilized, and the publisher 14 may engage in an auction or direct purchase
(e.g. of syndicated
content), as well as direct communications with the producer 12 that are
initiated through the
platform 10. It can be appreciated that the platform 10 can therefore be
configured to allow a
- 17 -
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
transaction to be completed by allowing a producer 12 to approve a transaction
price, for the
publisher 14 to confirm the transaction, for the two counterparts to
discuss/negotiate using
various communication media (e.g. text messaging and/or live chat), and the
publisher 12 to
add the content being purchased to a "Shopping Cart" to allow multiple content
purchases to be
made during the same session on the platform 10.
[00104] FIGS. 19 and 20 illustrate operations that may be facilitated by
the platform 10 as a
transaction is being finalized and/or post-transaction. When the exchange of
payment has been
completed, then the producers 12 and publishers 14 may be provided with
options to rate each
other in order to update profiles that can be used to promote users within the
system 8 and
provide confidence to those engaging the system regarding the quality of the
parties involved in
transactions. Moreover, these post-transaction operations can be used to
report problems with
particular users or with the system 8 itself.
[00105] FIGS. 21 and 22 illustrate convenient submissions of content for sale
and RFPs
respectively. The system 8 can be configured to provide customized apps or
widgets to enable
a user to capture media content and immediately upload such content to the
platform 10, which
is particularly advantageous for breaking news. By providing customized
applications on the
user-devices, the system 8 can minimize the number of steps required to get
fresh content into
the system 8. For example, an app or widget may have implicit login
credentials to avoid the
need to sign in each time the app or widget is used. Similarly, for publishers
14, a tool, app,
widget or other application can also be provided for publisher-used-devices,
e.g. to quickly and
conveniently submit RFPs as particular requests become important.
[00106] It can be appreciated that such widgets, apps, or other applications
may also be
configured to deeply integrate any and all features described herein, for
example, to allow a
producer 12 or publisher 14 to conveniently access their dashboard and engage
the platform
10. Similarly, mobile e-commerce functionality may be built in to not only
facilitate submissions
to the platform 10 but the transactions themselves. Such integration can be
particularly
important to facilitate transactions for breaking news, wherein producers 12
and publishers 14
are put into contact with each other to finalize a transaction substantially
in real time, particularly
by using live communication tools and network access. For example, the
communication
capabilities provided by the platform 10 allow for appropriately equipped
citizens, freelance
reports, among others, to react to breaking news and immediately alert
potential buyers. For
example, a fully equipped reporter/cameraperson with a satellite uplink (or
other suitable
- 18 -
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
communication link) that are onsite when breaking news occurs (e.g. tornado,
volcano eruption,
tsunami, war/conflict, traffic accidents, etc.) may use the communication
interface 30 and any
application or interface available on the device they have to upload the
breaking news content
(e.g. video, voice notes, text (if possible), etc.) ¨ e.g. by satellite. The
platform 10 may then be
configured to handle breaking news in the server application 72 by
communicating with
subscribers such as registered publishers 14 to alert them of not only the
breaking news but the
immediately available content. From there a direct purchase, auction, or other
transaction can
be initiated, e.g. as herein discussed by way of example.
[00107] FIGS. 23 and 24 illustrate various databases that can be made
available to
producers 12 and publishers 14 respectively.
[00108] As shown in FIG. 23, producers 12 can be given access to various saved
information
such as: (1) Scrolled link lists to saved personal content including: a.
database of content
submitted for sale and draft content in progress which can be uploaded from a
text editor, b.
transaction Database: records of all transactions; (2) other links that may
include: a. Complete /
Edit Profile, b. Search: RFPs and Publishers, c. Saved links (searches) which
may include an
RSS Feed of RFP offerings based upon fields within the producer's profile,
etc.
[00109] As shown in FIG. 24, for a publisher 14, databases of saved
information may include:
a. "Saved Links" Database of searches, b. RSS feeds based upon a publisher's
"Interest List
Profile", c. "Purchased Content", d. RFPs Issued and In Progress", e.
"Transaction Records",
and f. "Search Producers Results".
[00110] FIG. 25 illustrates an example user interface workflow that may be
provided by the
platform 10 based on at least some of the illustrations provided in FIGS. 11-
24. It can be seen
that the platform 10 is configured to allow a smooth flow from
viewing/submitting to a transaction
and communications between parties.
[00111] It can therefore be appreciated that a wide variety of arrangements of
content and
users are possible, with the advantage of providing publishers 14 with the
ability to acquire
rights to a potentially vast volume of content for publication, and for
producer 12s to offer for
sale an equally vast volume of text, image, video and audio content.
- 19 -
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
[00112] Turning now to FIGS. 26-40, various screen shots are illustrated with
exemplary user
interfaces that may be provided by the plafform 10 to both producers 12 and
publishers 14, e.g.,
via the server application 72.
[00113] FIG. 26 illustrates a main page 600, which can be provided as a public
portal to allow
users to register and/or login to the platform 10. Example types of media
content are shown in
FIG. 26, include breaking news that is for sale, top stories, and a hot list
of content that has
been viewed the most. The publisher's screen should be limited to potential
publishers (e.g. by
only showing breaking news etc. after login/registration) to avoid revealing
story ideas and
pricing to 3rd party producers who are not members of the system 8. Various
links are provided
that enable users to navigate to producer 12 (contributor) or publisher 14
regions of the web
page. FIG. 27 illustrates a screen shot 610 of a list of options that may be
selected which relate
to producers 12, including options for submitting content, searching
publishers 14, searching
RFPs, and submitting breaking or "flash" news. Also shown in FIG. 27 is an
option 612 related
to submitting physical content 18. By selecting the option 612, an
instructions page 620 may be
displayed as shown in FIG. 28, in which a mailing address and instructions for
submitting such
physical media are provided. It can be seen that the platform 10 can be
adapted to facilitate the
incorporation of content through alternative channels to those available
directly within the web
page.
[00114] FIG. 29 illustrates a producer registration page 630, which enables a
registrant to
enter various information used by the platform 10 to register and validate a
new producer 12.
After registering, the producer 12 can submit content to the platform 10,
e.g., using a fillable
submission form 640 as shown in FIG. 30. Once the required information and
content is added,
selecting a submit button 642 uploads the content to the platform 10, which
may be added to
the content repository 78. The producer 12 may also search for potential
buyers, i.e. publishers
14 registered with the platform 10 by accessing a search page 650 as shown in
FIG. 31,
entering search criteria, and selecting a submit button 652. Similarly, the
producer 12 may also
search for RFPs that have been generated and submitted by publishers 14 by
accessing an
RFP search page 660 as shown in FIG. 32 and selecting a relevant submit button
662, 664. It
can be seen in FIG. 32 that the producer 12 may be provided with options to
search based on
the actual publication or a keyword, or by content type or geographical
region.
[00115] Whereas the page 640 in FIG. 30 enables the producer 12 to submit text-
based
content, the platform 10 may also provide a different page for uploading media
files such as
- 20 -
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
video, for example the upload page 670 shown in FIG. 33. In this example, the
upload page
670 includes an upload video button 672 to allow a file to be attached and a
description of the
video and the video itself to be submitted by selecting a submit button 674.
For flash news, as
the video uploads, the producer 12 can be given an option to attach a file to
describe the video
(e.g. an AVI file). The platform 10 may also require the producer 12 to verify
that they have
rights to the video being uploaded. It can be appreciated that similar pages
may be provided for
submitting audio files, photos, and text that is included in a scanned
publication (e.g. PDF or
image).
[00116] As discussed above, a publisher 14 may be required by the system 8 to
agree to
particular terms before being registered as a publisher 14 and may also be
subjected to other
terms on a content-by-content basis. In order to encourage a more thorough
review of such
terms, it has been found that the platform can present options to actively
agree on a clause-by-
clause basis as shown in FIG. 34. In the example shown in FIG. 34, each clause
in the
agreement includes a verification mechanism 684 and a confirmation control
682. In this way,
the user interacting with the page 680 is required to enter response to a
challenge displayed on
the page 680 in association with the clause (e.g. a CAPTCHA mechanism). After
entering the
response, the user may then agree or cancel the registration by choosing the
appropriate
button. FIG. 34 also illustrates various options available to publishers 14,
including a live
auction option, a registration option to access the contractual terms,
breaking news options to
view breaking news content, and an option to learn more about the platform 10
and/or an
organization administering the platform 10.
[00117] FIG. 35 illustrates a live auction page 690 that may be accessed by a
publisher 14
after selecting the live auction option shown in FIG. 34. By selecting a enter
now button 692,
the publisher 14 can enter the live auction setting, which may be provided
using a portal within
the live auction page 690 or by another web page or web site, e.g. operated by
a third part.
[00118] FIG. 36 illustrates options that may be displayed by selecting the
breaking news
option, including video breaking news, text breaking news, photo breaking news
and an off-the-
shelf option. FIG. 36 also shows an example of a publisher main page 700 and
can be
configured to provide links to stand-alone pages of breaking news by type,
e.g. print and
pictures for print media publishers 14, videos for television publishers 14,
etc.. FIG. 37
illustrates an example of a video news page 710, and FIG. 38 illustrates an
example of a text
news page 720, which includes a number of headlines organized with one or more
related
-21 -
22482217.1
CA 02836742 2013-12-13
stories accessible under the respective headline. FIG. 39 illustrates an
example of a photo
news page 730, which in this example includes photo related to the same
headlines as those
shown in FIGS. 37 and 38. By selecting the off the shelf option shown in FIG.
36, a publisher
14 is brought to a content search page 740 as shown in FIG. 40. By selecting a
submit button
742, search criteria entered into the page are used to conduct a search of the
content repository
78.
[00119] It wi I I be appreciated that any module or component exemplified
herein that executes
instructions may include or otherwise have access to computer readable media
such as storage
media, computer storage media, or data storage devices (removable and/or non-
removable)
such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, or tape. Computer storage
media may
include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media
implemented in any
method or technology for storage of information, such as computer readable
instructions, data
structures, program modules, or other data. Examples of computer storage media
include
RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital
versatile
disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape,
magnetic disk storage
or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to
store the desired
information and which can be accessed by an application, module, or both. Any
such computer
storage media may be part of the system 8, platform 10, devices 12a, 12b, 14a,
any component
of or related to the system 8, plafforrn 10, devices 12a, 12b, 14a, etc., or
accessible or
connectable thereto. Any application or module herein described may be
implemented using
computer readable/executable instructions that may be stored or otherwise held
by such
computer readable media.
[00120] The steps or operations in the flow charts and diagrams described
herein are just for
example. There may be many variations to these steps or operations without
departing from the
principles discussed above. For instance, the steps may be performed in a
differing order, or
steps may be added, deleted, or modified.
[00121] Although the above principles have been described with reference to
certain specific
examples, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in
the art as outlined in
the appended claims.
- 22 -
22482217.1
