Vox Media Uses Report-IT App for Mobile Podcast Interviews
By Miles Ewell, Director of Production Technology, Vox Media.
Vox Media is a leading independent media company, and the Vox Media Podcast Network is one of the largest collections of popular podcasts spanning technology, news, pop culture, futurism, current trends, and more. Our portfolio features the most relevant and respected editorial properties, including Vox, New York Magazine, The Verge, The Cut, Eater, Vulture, The Strategist, Polygon, SB Nation, Intelligencer, Curbed, Grub Street and Recode.
Tieline’s Report-IT Enterprise app is an important tool within our technology offerings and it helps us tell stories that affect our audience’s daily lives and entertain as much as they inform. Podcast producers and hosts primarily use Report-IT to interview remotely located guests outside of the company, because the app facilitates high quality recordings and simple file uploads.
How it Works
The Report-IT Enterprise app is a free Android or iOS download for guests. So they download the app and then we send them a URL link created by Tieline’s TieServer Console. When they click the link it launches the app and automatically authenticates and logs each guest in. The guest then just taps “Connect” to dial a secure Tieline codec (Gateway, Merlin, Merlin PLUS, Bridge-IT) at one of our studios. When they connect they can communicate in real-time with hosts at our studios in New York, DC, San Francisco, or elsewhere. Sometimes guests have accessories they plug in to improve listening and sound quality during the interview, but often they just use the phone itself, which usually is pretty good quality these days.
High fidelity audio is automatically recorded as a file on a guest’s device as they chat directly to Vox Media’s producers and hosts. At the conclusion of their interview it is securely uploaded directly to a server over Wi-Fi or cellular for ingest and editing as required.
Challenges Interviewing Guests
In my experience, achieving high sound quality and simple file delivery are our biggest challenges. Uploading or sending files can be a huge challenge with non-technical guests. Report-IT helps us deliver the best possible recording quality from our guests with simple file delivery to our servers. This is a great option for Vox Media Podcast Network producers. We also use Tieline’s Cloud Codec Controller software, which provides remote control over critical Report-IT functions like input gain, as well as record functions on the app. This makes it very easy to adjust settings remotely if a non-technical person is on the other end.
Ease Of Use
We use Report-IT multiple times each week and ease of use is everything with our external podcast guests. The simplicity of configuration regarding file uploads and connection points is crucial to the workflow. The app’s user interface is simple. Plus, it’s easy to connect, record and then seamlessly upload a recorded file.
Producers appreciate the reliable file delivery and quality of recordings. I particularly like the user interface and how you can have different user accounts configured for specific Tieline codecs and server folders etc. It’s very flexible for automation.
In summary, achieving high quality sound and reliable and timely file delivery of recorded interviews are our biggest challenges. Report-IT delivers superb features and a very robust solution at a great price. The app helps achieve both the best quality possible from our guests, and easy file transfer, which keeps our talented producers happy!
Want More Info?
For more information on Tieline’s Report-IT app and other codec solutions, visit www.tieline.com/products or contact Tieline sales:
- For USA, Canada & Latin America contact: sales@tieline.com
- For Australia and International: info@tieline.com
(Vox Media Uses Report-IT, first published by Radio World, December 2021)
