Viewer-authored content acquisition and management system for in-the-moment broadcast in conjunction with media programs

An apparatus for providing viewer-authored content for broadcast presentation in conjunction with a broadcast of a media program by a provider of the media program comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory, coupled to the processor, the memory storing a plurality of instructions comprising instructions for:
• (a) receiving viewer registration information uniquely associated with a viewer via an application executing on a viewer device, the application for collecting the viewer registration information, viewer-authored content and viewer-authored content metadata associated with the viewer-authored content;
• (b) receiving the viewer-authored content and the viewer-authored content metadata in a content management system (CMS);
• (c) processing the viewer authored content according to the viewer authored content metadata to generate the viewer-derived content;
• (d) queuing the viewer-derived content with other viewer-derived content from other viewers for consideration for the broadcast presentation in conjunction with the broadcast of the media program;
• (e) accepting a determination of whether the viewer-derived content complies with broadcast regulations or quality standards;
• (f) accepting a selection of the viewer-derived content for broadcast presentation in conjunction with the live broadcast of the media program if the viewer-derived content complies with the broadcast regulations or the quality standards;
• and
• (g) providing the viewer-derived content in conjunction with the live broadcast of the media program for broadcast;
• wherein the viewer is one of a plurality of viewers and the CMS manages a database of a plurality of attributes relating to each of the plurality of viewers submitting viewer-authored content via a respective plurality of viewer devices, and wherein:
• each of the plurality of viewers is associated with a first set of the plurality of attributes including:
• a viewer active attribute, indicating whether the associated viewer is disallowed from making future posts or comments, and precluding selection of any viewer-authored content from the associated viewer for broadcast presentation;
• a viewer feature attribute, indicating whether a post from the associated viewer is to be included in a featured viewer post news feed;
• and
• wherein each of the first set of the plurality of attributes is selectable to manage the broadcasting of the viewer-authored media content;
• each of the plurality of viewers is associated with a viewer post having an associated second set of the plurality of attributes, including:
• a viewer post active attribute, indicating whether the associated viewer post is disallowed from selection for the featured viewer post news feed transmitted to the plurality of viewer devices;
• a viewer post feature attribute indicating whether the associated viewer post is to be included in the featured viewer post news feed;
• a viewer post ban attribute indicating whether the associated viewer post is to be banned from inclusion into the featured viewer post news feed, a viewer news feed, a popular news feed and a recent news feed;
• a viewer post download content attribute indicating that the viewer-authored media content associated with the viewer post is to be uploaded for broadcast presentation;
• an abusive viewer post attribute, counting a number reports that the viewer post associated with the attribute has been flagged by other viewers as abusive;
• and
• a viewer post on-air attribute, selectable by the viewer authoring the viewer post, indicating the associated viewer post may be shared;
• wherein each of the second set of the plurality of attributes is selectable by the CMS to manage the provision of the viewer-authored media content;
• and
• each of the comments from each viewer are associated with a third set of the plurality of attributes, including:
• a viewer comment on-air attribute, selectable by the viewer authoring the viewer post, indicating that the associated viewer comment may be shared;
• and
• a viewer comment ban attribute indicating whether the associated viewer comment is to be banned from inclusion among comments to the associated viewer post.

A system for providing viewer-authored content for broadcast presentation in conjunction with a broadcast of a media program by a provider of the media program comprising:

• a viewer device, comprising
• a viewer device processor;
• a viewer device memory, communicatively coupled to the processor;
• a viewer authored content acquisition and management system (VACAMS) comprising:
• a VACAMS processor;
• a VACAMS memory, coupled to the VACAMS processor, the memory storing a plurality of instructions comprising instructions for:
• (a) receiving viewer registration information uniquely associated with a viewer via an application stored in the viewer device memory and executing on the viewer device processor, the application for collecting the viewer registration information, viewer-authored content and viewer-authored content metadata associated with the viewer-authored content;
• (b) receiving the viewer-authored content and the viewer-authored content metadata in a content management system (CMS) of the VACAMS;
• (c) processing the viewer authored content according to the viewer authored content metadata to generate the viewer-derived content;
• (d) queuing the viewer-derived content with other viewer-derived content derived from viewer-authored content from other viewers for consideration for the broadcast presentation in conjunction with the broadcast of the media program;
• (e) accepting a determination of whether the viewer-derived content complies with broadcast regulations or quality standards;
• (f) accepting a selection of the viewer-derived content for broadcast presentation in conjunction with the live broadcast of the media program if the viewer-derived content complies with the broadcast regulations or the quality standards;
• and
• (g) providing the viewer-derived content in conjunction with the live broadcast of the media program for broadcast;
• wherein the viewer is one of a plurality of viewers and the CMS manages a database of a plurality of attributes relating to each of the plurality of viewers submitting viewer-authored content via a respective plurality of viewer devices, and wherein:
• each of the plurality of viewers is associated with a first set of the pluarlity of attributes including:
• a viewer active attribute, indicating whether the associated viewer is disallowed from making future posts or comments, and precluding selection of any viewer-authored content from the associated viewer for broadcast presentation;
• a viewer feature attribute, indicating whether a post from the associated viewer is to be included in a featured viewer post news feed;
• and
• wherein each of the first set of the pluarlity of attributes is selectable to manage the broadcasting of the viewer-authored media content;
• each of the plurality of viewers is associated with a viewer post having an associated second set of the pluarlity of attributes, including:
• a viewer post active attribute, indicating whether the associated viewer post is disallowed from selection for the featured viewer post news feed transmitted to the plurality of viewer devices;
• a viewer post feature attribute indicating whether the associated viewer post is to be included in the featured viewer post news feed;
• a viewer post ban attribute indicating whether the associated viewer post is to be banned from inclusion into the featured viewer post news feed, a viewer news feed, a popular news feed and a recent news feed;
• a viewer post download content attribute indicating that the viewer-authored media content associated with the viewer post is to be uploaded for broadcast presentation;
• an abusive viewer post attribute, counting a number reports that the viewer post associated with the attribute has been flagged by other viewers as abusive;
• and
• a viewer post on-air attribute, selectable by the viewer authoring the viewer post, indicating the associated viewer post may be shared;
• wherein each of the second set of the pluarlity of attributes is selectable by the CMS to manage the provision of the viewer-authored media content;
• and
• each of the comments from each viewer are associated with a third set of the pluarlity of attributes, including:
• a viewer comment on-air attribute, selectable by the viewer authoring the viewer post, indicating that the associated viewer comment may be shared;
• and
• a viewer comment ban attribute indicating whether the associated viewer comment is to be banned from inclusion among comments to the associated viewer post.