TAGISH, Yukon — OpenBroadcaster Inc., a Yukon-based provider of Internet radio and IPTV technology for community broadcasters, announced yesterday the release of Pyrate 3.0, free and open-source software which enables stations operating under lockdown guidelines to remotely access their studios and distribute emergency alert messages during Covid-19.
Pyrate 3.0 is open-source broadcast automation software configured to run on the inexpensive Raspberry Pi computer and provides an emergency response radio and TV broadcast toolkit, assisting stations in unattended operation, studio access and distribution of Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) emergency messages in regional Indigenous dialects.
Due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, many small- to medium-sized broadcasters are not able to physically access their central studios. This is a particular problem for Indigenous groups in remote regions with expensive bandwidth who are challenged by the lack of affordable solutions available to them, explains OpenBroadcaster’s press release.
The Pyrate 3.0 broadcast automation software saves stations time to configure and harness innovation in emergency management technology tools, says the release. The free software is also available to help relief organizations, governments and rural communities with broadcast tools during Covid-19, OpenBroadcaster says.
The free Pyrate 3.0 software can be downloaded here. Release notes and instructions for the software are available here.
OpenBroadcaster says its open-source broadcasting solutions allow individuals, small- to medium-sized businesses and communities to distribute media over the air and via the Internet in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
“We aim to strengthen links between communities and cultures globally by supporting and facilitating the formation of broadcaster networks that are capable of pooling resources, jointly managing media and sharing stories,” the company says in its press release.
