BusRadio Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is BusRadio?
A: BusRadio is a national radio
network that brings age-appropriate music, original programming, and
public service messages to more than 1 million listeners between the
ages of 6 and 18 every weekday during their daily bus ride. BusRadio
reaches more than 10,000 buses in 170 school districts in 24 states.
BusRadio is the fastest growing national media network in the youth
music space, a better alternative to inappropriate FM radio programming,
and a vital safety partner with school districts across America. BusRadio
provides a safer bus ride for students by providing school districts
with valuable safety features that help minimize driver distractions,
and keep students seated, well-behaved and occupied in a positive way.
BusRadio's technology features GPS, driver panic buttons tied directly
to local emergency services, and internal and external PA systems on
every bus. Visit
www.busradio.net for more information and to listen
to BusRadio programming. BusRadio listeners visit
www.busradio.com to listen to BusRadio on the Web,
request their favorite songs, and learn more about their favorite artists.
Q: How does it work?
A: Every day BusRadio produces
eight hours of original programming for four listenerships: three age
levels - elementary school, middle school and high school - and
a student field trip programming segment suitable for all ages and mixed
groups. Each evening the programming is downloaded wirelessly to our
state-of-the-art BusRadio units in more than 10,000 buses across the
country.
Q: How long has BusRadio been around?
A: BusRadio was founded in
2004 and is the fastest growing national media network in the youth
music space. The first BusRadio units were installed on buses in the
fall of 2006, and in less than two years, BusRadio has grown to more
than 1 million listeners on more than 10,000 buses in 23 states.
Q: How much does BusRadio cost?
A: BusRadio is free to all
school districts in the continental United States. All costs associated
with our technology, installation, and maintenance are the sole responsibility
of BusRadio.
Q: What will I hear on BusRadio?
A: BusRadio is proud of the
positive, age-appropriate music, original programming and public service
and safety messages it brings to the daily bus ride in school districts
across the country. Because BusRadio's content is recorded one day
in advance, we are able to adhere to editing standards far stricter
than those found on commercial FM radio. BusRadio eliminates all inappropriate
lyrics and subject matter from its broadcasts while still playing songs
that kids want to hear
In addition to music and original
programming, BusRadio airs an average of four minutes of public service
announcements and safety messages each hour.
Q: What won't I hear on BusRadio?
A: BusRadio provides parents
with the peace of mind that their children are not being exposed to
the inappropriate content of commercial FM radio - including inappropriate
advertising content. The saturation of commercial radio with alcohol
advertisements and other inappropriate content is well documented. For
example, a recent study of the nation's top 28 radio markets by the
Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth found more than one third of all
alcohol advertising on commercial radio is placed on programming more
likely to be heard by youth between the ages of 12 and 20. Researchers
at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, in a broad ranging
study of hundreds of popular songs, recently found that one in three
mention alcohol or drug use. Additionally, most lyrical references to
substance use were associated with partying, sex, violence and, or humor.
To listen to BusRadio programming 24/7, listeners can log onto
www.busradio.com
to hear a daily web stream of BusRadio
programming.
Q: What kind of music does BusRadio play?
A: BusRadio provides music
that kids love without the inappropriate content that often comes with
it. BusRadio further edits song lyrics and subject matter to comply
with its strict age-appropriateness guidelines.
A sample playlist, many with
unique BusRadio edits, includes: Big Girls Don't Cry by Fergie (middle
and high school)l Potential Break Up Song by Aly & AJ (elementary
and middle school); Hey There Delilah by Plain White Ts (ALL); Umbrella
by Rihanna (ALL); What Time Is It? from High School Musical 2 (elementary);
Baby Love by Nicole Scherzinger (middle school); The Sweet Escape by
Gwen Stefani (middle and high school); Cupids Chokehold by Gym Class
Heroes (middle and high school); S.O.S. by The Jonas Brothers (elementary
and middle school); If Everyone Cared by Nickelback (middle and high
school); Too Little Too Late by Jo Jo (middle school); With Love by
Hilary Duff (middle school); No One-Alicia Keys (middle and high
school); See You Again-Miley Cyrus (elementary and middle school); No
Air-Jordin Sparks (middle and high school); Stop and Stare-One
Republic (middle and high school); Teardrops on My Guitar-Taylor
Swift (ALL); What Hurts The Most- Rascal Flatts (elementary
and middle school); Pocketful of Sunshine-Natasha Bedingfield
(middle and high school); When You Look Me In The Eyes-Jonas Brothers-
(elementary and middle school); I Don't Think About It- Emily Osment
(elementary).
BusRadio knows how important
it is to parents to know what their kids are listening to, on and off
the bus. That's why BusRadio provides a daily Web stream of national
programming content on its company Web site at
www.busradio.net and its listener Web site at
www.busradio.com.
BusRadio's online programming
streams 24 hours a day and incorporates a sampling of the same musical
content and original programming heard across the country on BusRadio,
including the same artists from our national and regional playlists,
on-air personalities, public service and safety messages, and contests.
Q: Who are some of BusRadio's
non-profit partners?
A: In addition to hundreds
of school districts in dozens of states, BusRadio partners with a select
number of the nation's most trusted and highly-regarded non-profit
organizations to bring positive public service messages to kids and
to reinforce the valuable lessons and missions of service of these trusted
organizations. An average of four minutes of every hour of programming
is devoted solely to public service announcements and bus safety tips
from our partners. They include: City Year, President's Council on
Physical Fitness and Sports, Take Pride in America, Stand Up for Kids,
National Eating Disorder Association, Afterschool Alliance, Do Something,
KaBoom!, Ad Council, National Association of Pupil Transportation, and
National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services.
Q: Does BusRadio play advertisements?
A: In addition to public service
announcements, BusRadio broadcasts a small amount of age-appropriate
paid sponsorship messages. These messages are vetted for age-appropriateness
with the same care as all BusRadio programming. Each paid sponsorship
is carefully reviewed for age-appropriate content and subject matter
on a case by case basis.
Each hour contains an average
of four minutes of paid sponsorships. BusRadio limits paid sponsorships
to a maximum of eight minutes. Standard drive time FM radio averages
more than three times this amount - much of which is completely inappropriate
for children. Some of our sponsors include: Answers.com, Disney's
Buena Vista Entertainment, Konami and Cingular.
Q: What are school districts
saying about BusRadio?
A: Safety is the number one
reason that school districts turn to BusRadio. BusRadio provides school
districts with the safety features they need to ensure that their school
buses are as safe as they can be. Each BusRadio unit comes with safety
features like GPS, emergency panic buttons tied directly to local emergency
services, and internal and external PA systems.
Q: What are parents saying
about BusRadio?
A: BusRadio grew out of a frustration
with the exposure of kids to inappropriate commercial FM radio programming
during the daily bus ride. BusRadio provides parents with the peace
of mind that their children are not being exposed to the inappropriate
and offensive music lyrics, inappropriate adult talk from Ôshock jock'
DJ's, and inappropriate advertising content found on the commercial
radio installed on more than 50% of school buses. BusRadio offers a
better, safer, age-appropriate alternative. Furthermore, BusRadio makes
it easy for parents to know what their kids are listening to on the
bus by providing a daily Web stream of its national programming content
on its company Web site at
www.busradio.net
and its listener Web site at
www.busradio.com.
Q: What are bus drivers saying
about BusRadio?
A: BusRadio provides bus drivers
with a valuable tool to keep noise levels down, minimize distractions,
and help keep kids safe, behaved, and in their seats on the bus ride.
Bus drivers have enough to worry about on the bus; BusRadio helps make
sure that drivers can be focused on a safe bus ride and not on discipline.
BusRadio is a choice; and more than 95 percent of the time, bus drivers
across the country choose BusRadio.
Buses are not classrooms, and
they are often completely unsupervised environments where maintaining
discipline is a constant struggle. School districts routinely tell us
that providing kids with age-appropriate content on the bus ride keeps
kids safer by keeping them well-behaved. An independent study, conducted
by Edison Media Research, found that overall behavior improved dramatically
with the implementation of BusRadio programming: kids remained in their
seats; willingness to follow rules increased; overall noise levels were
reduced; and driver distractions were minimized.
Q: What are kids saying about
BusRadio?
A: BusRadio provides kids with
an entertaining mix of music, original programming and public service
messages to keep them engaged during the bus ride. The enthusiasm and
feedback we have received from kids around the country has been astounding.
That's why BusRadio launched the new
www.busradio.com, where kids can listen to BusRadio
on the Web, request their favorite songs, and learn more about their
favorite artists. Right now kids across the country are posting messages
about the bands they love and everything else in a safe, controlled
online environment.
Q: Can school districts choose
the music?
A: BusRadio is able to customize
programming content, including music and safety messages, to best serve
each district. Local control is very important to BusRadio's mission.
We understand every BusRadio community is unique and we strive to serve
the specific needs of individual districts in every way possible.
Q: Does the school bus have
to be within a certain reception range to hear the show clearly?
A: No. BusRadio's programming
is downloaded via wireless technology in its entirety to our state-of-the-art
BusRadio units each evening. The next morning bus drivers can choose
from three age-appropriate programs - elementary, middle and high
school - that have been preloaded to BusRadio's state-of-the-art
units.
Q: Once my district has signed
up for BusRadio, how long before the radios are installed on the buses?
A: Before BusRadio's units
are installed in a district's buses, a team of technicians is sent
to each district to fully assess the capabilities and needs of the bus
depot. The timing of the installation process depends on the individual
needs of each bus depot and will vary from district to district. After
the assessment, a Wi-Fi network and micro server will be installed in
each bus depot. Then, radio units are installed on every bus.
Q: Will BusRadio train the
drivers to operate the unit?
A: Yes. All bus drivers attend
a BusRadio training session to learn how the BusRadio unit works and
how to operate the safety features in case of any emergency. BusRadio
also conducts follow-up training once the units are in use.
Q: What kind of ongoing support
is available once the radios have been installed?
A: BusRadio and our team of technicians throughout the country will continue to service the hardware and software that make up the BusRadio system, including the costs of all service calls and unit returns.
Q: Will the BusRadio GPS interfere
with existing bus-routing software?
A: No. BusRadio hardware and
software is completely separate from any internal software being run
within a district.
Q: Does the BusRadio unit have
a CD or cassette player?
A: No, the BusRadio units do
not have a CD or cassette player. Because BusRadio's units are set
to play BusRadio programming, this eliminates the opportunity for students
to be exposed to inappropriate content that is not screened by BusRadio
or the school district. Units do have the capability to receive FM/AM
radio broadcasts.
Q: What happens if drivers
choose not to listen to the show?
A: We recognize that BusRadio
is a choice; however, our research shows that more than 95 percent of
the time bus drivers choose BusRadio over commercial FM radio.
Q: If a driver uses the emergency
panic button, can the call go to dispatch first before it's sent to
local 911 services?
A: For safety reasons, including
providing for the quickest response time possible, the BusRadio emergency
panic button connects only to local 911 emergency services dispatch.
A hands free speaker connection is immediately established between the
bus and the 911 dispatcher.
Q: What happens if someone
steals or breaks the radio unit in the bus?
A: The school district at no time will be held accountable for any theft or vandalism to the BusRadio unit.
