Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for dynamically playing audible punctuation in connection with playout of content defined by a playlist. A client receives a playlist defining a sequence of media content items to be played out by the client, the playlist indicating attribute data for each media content item of the sequence. For each of at least one of the media content items of the playlist, the client determines based on the attribute data and perhaps based on user preference data an audible punctuation to play out in connection with playout of that media content item, and the client retrieves and plays out the audible punctuation in connection with playout of that media content item.

Abstract: An example method involves determining an attribute associated with an audible version of a news story, wherein the attribute indicates a manner in which data representing the audible version of the news story was generated; using the determined attribute associated with the audible version of the news story as a basis to generate a playlist of a news program that includes the audible version of the news story; and transmitting the generated playlist to a client device.

Abstract: A personalized news service provides personalized news programs for its users by generating personalized combinations of audible versions of news stories derived from text-based based versions of the news stories. The audible versions may be generated from the text-based version by a text-to-speech system, or may by recording a person reading aloud the text-based version. To acquire recordings, the personalized news service can make a determination that a particular news story has a threshold extent of popularity. The news service can then transmit a request to a remote recording station for a recording of a verbal reading of the particular news story. The news service can then receive the requested recording from the remote recording station.

Abstract: An example method involves (i) accessing first data defining multiple portions of a content item, wherein at least a plurality of the portions represent text; (ii) selecting, from the plurality of portions representing text, a subset of the portions representing text, wherein the selecting is based on each portion of the selected subset having a particular characteristic; (iii) based on the text represented by the portions of the selected subset, generating second data that represents a concatenation of the text represented by the portions of the selected subset; and (iv) providing output based on the generated second data.

Abstract: An example method involves (i) accessing first data representing text; (ii) identifying a term within the represented text; (iii) using the identified term as a basis to select a text-editing rule from among a set of text-editing rules; (iv) generating second data that represents the represented text edited in accordance with the selected text-editing rule; and (v) providing output based on the generated second data.

Abstract: An example method involves (i) accessing first data representing text, wherein the text defines at least one position representing a particular type of grammatical break between two portions of the text; (ii) identifying, from among the at least one position, a position that is closest to a target position within the text; (iii) based on the identified position within the text, generating second data that represents a proper subset of the text, wherein the proper subset extends from an initial position within the text to the identified position within the text; and (iv) providing output based on the generated second data.

Abstract: An example method includes determining that a resume event occurred. The resume event causes a client device to resume playout of personalized news programming after the client device plays out at least a portion of a first personalized news program. The method further includes, in response to determining that the resume event occurred, determining a remainder duration representing a duration of the first personalized news program less an elapsed duration between (i) a start time when the client device initiated playout of the first personalized news program and (ii) a resume time when the resume event occurred. The method further includes using the determined remainder duration to generate a playlist of a second personalized news program having a duration that is less than the duration of the first personalized news program. The method further includes transmitting the generated playlist to the client device.

Abstract: Disclosed computer-based systems and methods for analyzing a plurality of audio files corresponding to text-based news stories and received from a plurality of audio file creators are configured to (i) compare quality and/or accuracy metrics of individual audio files against corresponding quality and/or accuracy thresholds, and (ii) based on the comparison: (a) accept audio files meeting the quality and/or accuracy thresholds for distribution to a plurality of subscribers for playback, (b) reject audio files failing to meet one or more certain quality and/or accuracy thresholds, (c) remediate audio files failing to meet certain quality thresholds, and (d) designate for human review, audio files failing to meet one or more certain quality and/or accuracy thresholds by a predetermined margin.

Abstract: An example method involves receiving a playlist defining a sequence of media content items including first and second content items; retrieving first data representing the content items, and using the retrieved first data to play out the content items in accordance with the sequence; making a first determination of whether the playlist defines a placeholder between the first and second content items; responsive to the first determination being that the playlist defines a placeholder, making a second determination of whether a condition has been satisfied, wherein the condition corresponds to a content category type; and responsive to the second determination being that the condition has been satisfied, (i) retrieving second data representing a media content item of the content category type, and (ii) using the retrieved second data to play out the content item in between playing out the first and second content items.

Abstract: An example method involves determining an attribute of a user of a client device and selecting an audible version of a news story. The selection of the audible version of the news story is based on an association between the determined attribute and an attribute of the audible version of the news story. In the example method, the attribute of the audible version is indicative of an accent of the audible version of the news story. The method also includes generating a playlist for a personalized news program. The playlist includes a reference to the selected audible version of the news story. Further, the example method includes transmitting the generated playlist to the client device.

Abstract: An example method involves receiving a playlist defining a sequence of media content items including a first media content item and a second media content item; retrieving, from one or more server devices, first data representing the media content items of the received playlist, and using the retrieved first data to play out the media content items in accordance with the sequence defined by the playlist; making a determination of whether a condition has been satisfied, wherein the condition corresponds to a content category type; and responsive to the determination being that the condition has been satisfied, (i) retrieving second data representing a media content item of the content category type, and (ii) using the retrieved second data to play out the media content item of the content category type in between playing out the first and second media content items.

Abstract: A personalized news service provides personalized news programs for its users by generating personalized combinations of audible versions of news stories derived from text-based versions of the news stories. The audible versions may be generated from the text-based version by a text-to-speech system, or may by recording a person reading aloud the text-based version. To acquire recordings, the personalized news service can make a determination that a particular news story has a threshold extent of popularity. The news service can then transmit a request to a remote recording station for a recording of a verbal reading of the particular news story. The news service can then receive the requested recording from the remote recording station.

Abstract: An example method involves determining an attribute associated with an audible version of a news story, wherein the attribute indicates a manner in which data representing the audible version of the news story was generated; using the determined attribute associated with the audible version of the news story as a basis to generate a playlist of a news program that includes the audible version of the news story; and transmitting the generated playlist to a client device.

Abstract: An example system may include a communication interface; a processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that when executed by the processor cause the server to perform of a set of functions. The set of functions may include determining an anticipated travel duration of a user of a client device, using the anticipated travel duration of the user as a basis to generate a playlist of a personalized news program for the user, and transmitting data representing the generated playlist to the client device.

Abstract: An example method involves (i) accessing data representing a text-based version of a news story; (ii) using a text-to-speech system to convert the accessed data representing the text-based version of the news story into data representing an audible version of the news story; (iii) determining a set of attributes associated with a user of a client device; (iv) using the determined set of attributes associated with the user as a basis to generate a playlist for a personalized news program, wherein the playlist includes a reference to the converted data representing the audible version of the news story; and (v) transmitting the generated playlist to the client device.