Syndication brings audio that someone else updates onto your station: an hourly news bulletin, a daily weather segment, a weekly podcast. You subscribe once. CloudRadio checks the address every 5 minutes, downloads each new version, and airs the newest one wherever you put the subscription in your playlists.
You must hold the rights to rebroadcast what you subscribe to. CloudRadio provides no news content.
Subscribe to a feed
- Go to Media Library in the left sidebar and open the Syndication tab.
- Click Subscribe.
- Enter a Name, for example "World news", and optionally an Artist (optional). Listeners see these as the title and artist while it airs.
- Paste the Source address: the address of an audio file that the provider replaces, or of a podcast RSS feed. Dropbox links work too.
- Click Test to check the address before you save. A feed shows its title and newest episode; an audio file shows its format and length.
- Choose Maximum age and Each version (see below), then click Subscribe.
The subscription appears in the list and the first check runs right away. If the address needs a login, fill in Username (optional) and Password (optional).
When Test warns you
Test catches the common wrong addresses and holds the save until you confirm with Subscribe anyway:
- A single episode. It airs once and never updates. When CloudRadio finds the show's feed, it offers it instead.
- A feed that stopped updating. CloudRadio points you to the show's current feed when it finds one.
- A web page or an Apple Podcasts page. These are not audio. Paste the show's RSS feed instead.
- A Spotify link. Spotify doesn't share the audio file, so it can't be used.
Maximum age
Maximum age stops old content from airing. A version older than the limit is skipped, never aired. The choices are Up to 90 minutes old (the default), Up to 3 hours old, Up to 1 day old, and Any age.
Age counts from the date the provider gives the version. When the provider gives no date, it counts from when CloudRadio downloaded it.
Pick the limit from how often the provider publishes: 90 minutes for an hourly bulletin, 1 day for a daily segment, Any age for a weekly show.
Each version
Each version decides what happens after a version airs:
- Play each version once: a version that already aired is skipped until a new one arrives. Use it for news and anything that shouldn't repeat.
- Replay until a new version arrives: the current version plays every time a playlist reaches it, until a newer one replaces it. Use it for a sponsor or weather segment you air several times a day. Maximum age still applies.
When a version is skipped, your playlist moves on to its next item, so there is no silence.
Length limit
A version can be up to 60 minutes long. A longer file fails its check with "The audio is longer than 60 minutes." and doesn't air.
Read the status
Each subscription shows one status. Hover it, or open the subscription, for the details.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ready to air | The newest version plays the next time a playlist reaches it |
| Aired | The newest version already played. It plays again when a new version arrives |
| Too old | The newest version is older than your Maximum age, so it is skipped |
| Not updating | No new version for far longer than usual. Check the provider's address |
| Not in a playlist | It could air, but no playlist includes it |
| Preparing | A version is being downloaded and prepared |
| Check failed | The last check failed and the version on hand can't air well |
If a check fails, the last good version can still air until it is too old.
Related articles
- Intro, Outro and Bed to wrap each version in your own audio
- Schedule a Syndicated Show to air it at a set time
- Tag Slots to play subscriptions through a tag