media-info-examples
Media Info Examples
Contributors
- RodBegbie
- Tantek Çelik
- Mary Hodder
- Joshua Kinberg
- ChrisMessina
- Lisa Rein
- Manu Sporny, Bitmunk - Digital Bazaar, Inc.
- Mike Johnson, Bitmunk - Digital Bazaar, Inc.
Introduction
Examples of what people actually publish on the Web when discussing, linking to, referring to media. This is focused predominantly on time based media such as audio and video, but may consider aspects of static media as well such as still images.
Emphasis on Practical, Simple, and Minimal
Since all previous known attempts at this problem area have ended up quite complex and over-designed, this attempt will place simplicity and minimalism first and foremost.
Thus for now, this document is deliberately restricted to examples that are:
- Actual examples in practice on the Web with URLs to the originals (note, all *-examples pages should be like this, but previous attempts at documenting media info examples have mostly ignored this requirement, and thus it is necessary to be explicit).
- Representative of very common publishing behavior on the Web. This focus on common, representative examples is essential. If possible, include an estimate of the number of similar examples. E.g. ~10k.
- Simple and minimalist. As simple as possible. Go read the microformats principles right now before proceeding any further.
Any examples added which do not conform to these requirements will be deleted.
Any generic analysis will also be deleted. Analysis before examples is premature. Once there are sufficient media-info-examples, and hopefully a simple/clean listing of media-info-formats, we'll hopefully start a media-info-brainstorming page to do aggregate analysis of the examples.
Table of Contents
Real World Examples
Overall Notes About Examples
These examples are organized into a short list of top level media categories, in the hopes that it will be easier to determine if there are media specific publishing behaviors, in addition to common behaviors across multiple types of media. Some may be subcategorized and distinguished by whether it was published by an individual publisher or a service:
- Audio (Speech, Music)
- Video
- Photos
The numbers after some of the examples' descriptions are based on numbers found pulling in media records at Dabble. Others may have higher numbers and would be encouraged to restate them if that's true.
Audio
Speech
Publication of audio speeches on blogs is often called "podcasting". In essence though, it is simply audio speech publishing. Quotes of audio files are beginning to appear, and publishers are putting up files with links to other audio files they've quoted from. Most audio appears to often have the same base elements as video and photos, with the exception of quotes.
Individual Publishing of Speech
- Microformats: Web Essentials Audio
- Appears to be composed of:
- title/summary of the recording
- clickable hyperlink to the recording (MP3)
- Contextual:
- (primary) speaker is indicated in nearby text
- Appears to be composed of:
- Chris Pirillo podcast
- This example has a Title, Html URL, media URL(s), description or summary, categories/tags underneath what is viewable, and date. +10k
- Reflog's Random Thoughts podcast
- This example has a Title, Html URL, description or summary, creator, tags and publish time and date. +10k records.
- Evil Genius Chronicles podcast
- This example has a Title, Html URL, description or summary, quotes URLs and descriptions, licence, creator, tags and publish time and date. +10k records.
- media published from a blog, Jake Steinfeld's Audio Blog NOTE: this record had trouble because mediawiki blocks any DOTbiz domains and so while this domain coincidentally has a DOTbizbyjake.com name that is not a TLD, it was still blocked in the loading of the page with this example. So please adjust the URL manually and then visit the site.
- This example has a Title, Html URL, media URL, creator and publish time and date. +10k records.
Music
Individual Publishing of Music
- Brad Sucks » music
- Has album title, song title, separate link to more info, inline flash player, and play link (to mp3)
- Scott Andrew - lo-fi acoustic pop superhero! > music >
- Has album title, song title, album artwork, streaming link (to m3u), and play link (to mp3)
- Portishead Remixed
- Whole page is for one album (a mash-up remix of a Portishead album). Has Album Track Number and Title (linked to mp3) and Remixer's name, plus cover art. Also a link to the BitTorrent download of the whole album.
Service Publishing of Music
- AudioFind
- Album Example
- Information displayed: artist (link), title, genre (link), style (link), release date, label, summary, web-based purchase (link), price, artist rating, album rating, cover image
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, title, length, rating, price, sample (link), web-based purchase (link)
- Album Example
- Telstra BigPond
- Album Example
- Information displayed: artist (link), title, genre, release date, label, summary, web-based purchase (link), subscriber price, non-subscriber price, cover image
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, title, artist, album, price, add to pop-list (link), sample (link), web-based purchase (link)
- Album Example
- Bitmunk
- Album Example
- Information displayed: artist, album title, publisher, release date, genre (link), summary, long description, payees, total price, sample (link), tracks, web-based purchase (link), cover image, p2p-based purchase (link)
- Song Example
- Information displayed: artist, song title, composer, publisher, release date, genres, album, payees, total price, web-based purchase (link), p2p-based purchase (link)
- Album Example
- Download Punk
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), label (link), physical-based purchase (link), web-based purchase (link), cover image
- Song Example
- Information displayed: title, sample (link), price, web-based purchase (link)
- Album Example
- FYE
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), format, release date, label (link), UPC, product id, genre, styles, cover image, regular price, store price, savings, physical-based purchase (link), tracks, description, reviews, production credits
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, title, artist
- Album Example
- iMusic
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), cover image, genre, release date, publisher, number of tracks, length, tracks, web-based purchase (link)
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, length, sample (link), release date, price, web-based purchase (link)
- Album Example
- AON Music
- Album Example
- Information displayed: artist (link), album, cover image, price, format, bitrate, label, genre, number of tracks, sample (link), add bookmark (link), web-based purchase (link), tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, title, length, format, price, sample (link), add bookmark (link), web-based purchase (link)
- Album Example
- MSN
- Album Example
- Information displayed: artist (link), title, release date, label, album rating, cover image,
- Song Example (store wasn't working correctly - no song info found)
- Album Example
- TDC Online
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), length, release date, label, format, cover image, web-based purchase (link), price, tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, title (link), price, sample (link), web-based purchase (link)
- Album Example
- Audio Lunchbox
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), label (link), genre (link), release date (link), cover image, format, bitrate, price, price in credits, web-based purchase (link), add to wishlist (link), sample (flash applet), tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, title, length, price, price in credits, web-based purchase (link), sample (flash applet)
- Album Example
- Chaos Music
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), cover image, genre, format, release date, price, physical-based purchase (link), add to wishlist (link), tracks, description, availability
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, title
- Album Example
- Sony Connect
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), cover image, genre (link), release date, label, length, publisher, price, web-based purchase (link), tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: title, artist, length, price, sample (link), web-based purchase (link)
- Album Example
- Digirama
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), genre (link), label, cover image, release date, price, web-based purchase (link), license, related albums, also bought, reviews, tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, title, length, sample (link), price, web-based purchase (link)
- Album Example
- eMusic
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), sample (link), save to playlist (link), genre (link), styles (link), label (link), album rating, reviews, length, tracks, web-based purchase (link)
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, sample (link), tracks, length, web-based purchase (link)
- Album Example
- FNAC
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), cover image, length, add to playlist (link), web-based purchase (link), tracks, price, genre
- Song Example
- Information displayed: sample (link), add to playlist (link), track number, title, length, web-based purchase (link), price
- Album Example
- Sanity
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), cover image, release date, catalog ID, SKU, label, price, price in points, summary, tracks, physical-based purchase (link)
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, title
- Album Example
- MisRolas
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), cover image, release date, number of tracks, album rating, price, web-based purchase (link), tracks, reviews
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, title, sample (link), artist, price, web-based purchase (link), add to wishlist (link)
- Album Example
- MTV
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title (link), artist (link), cover image, release date, label, tracks, physical-based purchase (link)
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, title, sample (link), video sample (link)
- Album Example
- Musica360
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist, price, samples (flash), cover image, tracks, web-based purchase (link)
- Song Example
- Information displayed: title, artist, price, web-based purchase (link)
- Album Example
- Musicload
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), price, rating, genre, length, quality, release date, label, sample (link), web-based purchase (link), tracks, comments
- Song Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), album (link), price, rating, genre, length, quality, release date, label, sample (link), web-based purchase (link), comments
- Album Example
- Napster
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), release date, track count, label, sample (link), share (link), web-based purchase (link), review, tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: artist (link), title, track number, album title, length, web-based purchase (link)
- Album Example
- PartyMob
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), total length, release date, format, quality, genre, sample (link), price, web-based purchase (link), tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: title, artist, length, release date, format, quality, genre, sample (link), price, web-based purchase (link), DRM information
- Album Example
- Peer Impact
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), price, purchase (application link), format, track count, genre, release date, label, tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, sample (link), title, artist (link), length, price
- Album Example
- Pure Tracks
- Album Example
- Information displayed: artist, title, label, total length, disc count, release date, price, web-based purchase (link), DRM information, tracks
- Song Example (in popup window)
- Information displayed: track number, sample (link), title, artist, length, price, web-based purchase (link), label (popup)
- Album Example
- Reggae Country
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist, release date, label, web-based purchse (link), price, tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: sample (link), track number, title, artist, length, web-based purchase (link), price
- Album Example
- Real/Rhapsody
- Album Example
- Information displayed: artist, title, sample (link), label, release date, tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: sample (link), track number, title
- Album Example
- Ruckus
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist, release date, genre, label, tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, title, length
- Album Example
- Sanity
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), release date, catalog id, label, price, web-based purchase (link), tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: sample, track number, title
- Album Example
- Starzik SARL
- Album Example (hidden url)
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), genre, label, release date, length, format, bitrate, size, web-based purchase (link), tracks
- Song Example (hidden url, separate from album example)
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), album title, genre, label, release date, length, creators, composer, performance artist, format, bitrate, size, web-based purchase (link)
- Album Example (hidden url)
- CellCity
- [1] Album Example]
- Information displayed: artist, label, release date, genre, tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: title, price, web-based purchase (link)
- [1] Album Example]
- top100.cn
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), release date, sample (link), web-based purchase (link), label (link), genre (link), long description, tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), label (link), genre (link), price, sample (link), web-based purchase (link), description, comments
- Album Example
- Wippit
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), price, genre (link), format, release date, tracks, web-based purchase (link)
- Song Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), album (link), genre, format, release date, size, track number, file type, price, web-based purchase link
- Album Example
- Yanga
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), genre (link), release date, label, price, web-based purchase (link), rating, tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: sample, track number, title, length, rating, price, web-based purchase (link)
- Album Example
- somesongs
- [Album Example]
- Information displayed:
- Song Example
- Information displayed: title, artist (link), rating, sample (link), summary, reviews, release date
- [Album Example]
- Magnatune
- Album Example
- Information displayed: artist (link), title, cover image, total time, length, release date, artist location (link), web-based purchase (link), physical-based purchase (link), license (link), tracks, summary
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, title, length, sample (link)
- Album Example
- SONG FIGHT!
- Album Example
- Information displayed: artist (link), cover image, artist location, summary, title,
- [ Song Example]
- Information displayed: release date, sample (link), title
- Album Example
- Yes.com
- Album Example
- Information displayed: cover image, artist (link)
- Song Example
- Information displayed: cover image, artist (link), rank, web-based purchase (link), played-by radio station
- Album Example
- MySpace
- Album Example
- Information displayed: artist, title, sample (link), cover image, number of plays, tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: artist, title, number of plays, sample (link), lyrics (link)
- Album Example
- MusicBrainz.org
- Album Example
- Information displayed: artist (link), title, cover image, tracks, disc id
- Song Example
- Information displayed: title, artist, length, id (link), length, album (link), album id (link), artist, artist id (link), relationship (link), track number
- Album Example
- Vorbis Comment Recommendations
- Album Example
- Information displayed: artist, publisher, copyright, disc number, isrc, ean/upn, label, label catalog number, license, opus, source media, title, version, encoded-by, encoding, composer, arranger, lyricist, author, conductor, performer, ensemble, part, part number, genre, release date, location, comment
- Song Example
- Information displayed: album, artist, publisher, copyright, disc number, isrc, ean/upn, label, label number, license, opus, source media, title, track number, version, encoded-by, encoding, composer, arranger, lyricist, author, conductor, performer, ensemble, part, part number, genre, release date, location, comment
- Album Example
- iTunes RSS extensions
- Album Example
- Information displayed: title, website (link), language, licensing, summary, description, owner, owner e-mail, cover image, genre
- Song Example
- Information displayed: title, artist, summary, description, sample (link), length, format, id, release date, tags
- Album Example
- Discogs
- Album Example
- Information displayed: artist, title, label (link), catalog id, format, country, release date, genre, style, notes, rating, tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: artist (link), title, track number
- Album Example
- Last.fm
- Album Example
- Information displayed: cover image, artist, title, release date, label (link), number of tracks, sample (link), physical-based purchase (link), tracks
- Song Example
- Information displayed: track number, sample (link), title, length, number of plays
- Album Example
In-active Music Services
- Yahoo! Music Unlimited
- Musicmatch (Merged with Yahoo! Jukebox)
- MusicNet (Service Provider)
- AOL Music Now (Merged with Napster)
- Nate.com (Appears to be Korean, cannot find album examples)
- Next Radio (Service Provider)
- Soundbuzz (Requires MS IE6)
- Starbucks (Requires Flash 8 player)
- Street CDs (parked domain name)
- Synacor (Service provider)
- Telecom Italia (Service provider)
- Pixbox (Terra) (Windows application)
- Virgin Digital (merged with Napster)
- Virgin (Requires Windows)
- Yeahronimo (Commodoreworld)
Analysis of Music Sites
Shown below is the most popular information listed for music albums. This includes analysis of over 85 online music sites.
Album Statistics
- 100%: artist
- 92%: title
- 85%: tracks
- 77%: release date
- 67%: label
- 62%: genre
- 62%: web-based purchase
- 59%: cover image
- 49%: price
- 26%: format
- 23%: sample
- 21%: length
- 18%: summary
- 15%: physical-based purchase
- 10%: publisher
- 10%: reviews
Shown below is the most popular information listed for songs. Keep in mind that along with the information listed below - for over 80% of the cases, album information was listed on the same page.
Song/Track Statistics
- 95%: title
- 69%: track number
- 67%: sample
- 62%: web-based purchase
- 59%: artist
- 54%: price
- 54%: length
- 26%: release date
- 15%: album
- 15%: genre
- 13%: format
- 10%: rating
- 10%: label
Video
Publication of video on blogs often goes by "videoblogging", "vlogging", "VODcasting", or "video podcasting". The typical process involves publishing a direct link to the video file within the blog entry. The blog entry can, but does not have to, include an embedded video player. Many videos include a thumbnail jpg which is clickable to the media object and player. Some video includes links to those other source videos, photos and audio that have been quoted. Most videos have the same base elements as photos and audio, with the exception of quotes.
Individual publishing of video
- FreeVlog: the most popular tutorial on the web describing the videoblogging process by combining free tools and services (Blogger, OurMedia/Internet Archive, FeedBurner).
- According to this process, a videoblog entry contains:
- Direct link to the video file
- Clickable thumbnail image/screen capture of the video
- Contextual information about the video (title, description, etc) is usually contained in the surrounding blog entry
- According to this process, a videoblog entry contains:
- Ryanne's Video Blog
- This example has a Title, Html URL, media URL, thumbnail url, description or summary, creator, and publish time. +50k
- Artificial Eye: fALks world news view 05|07|11 video post
- This example has a Title, Html URL, media URL, thumbnail url, description or summary, creator, quotes URLs and description, and publish time. +10k (quotes +5k)
- It's JerryTime! - episodic video content
- This example has a Title, Html URL, media URL, thumbnail url and creator. +10k records.
- Bottom Union combined video + text blog
- This example has a Title, Html URL, media URL, thumbnail URL, description or summary, creator, tags and publish time and date. +5k blogs
- KitchenArts instructional/marketing video blog
- This example has a Title, Html URL, media URL, thumbnail URL, description or summary, creator, and publish time and date. +5k blogs
- Jon Udell's Weblog: Greasemonkeying Google Videomedia - blog post with quoting of video via greasemonkey plugin. This example *may* be better suited to a study from the perspective of a citation.
- This example has a Title, Html URL, media URL, description or summary, creator, quote URLs and description, license and publish time. >100 records but is climbing rapidly.
- Rocketboom daily with amanda congdon - daily video posting in a blog-like format, with quoting of video, audio photos
- This example has a Title, Html URL, media URL, description or summary, creator, quote URLs and description, license and publish time. This example also "auto-plays", that is, starts playing the video in the normal browser/HTML view upon loading of the page. +20k
Service publishing of video
- blip.tv - video blogging, podcasting and sharing service
- This example has a Title, Html URL, media URL, thumbnail URL, description or summary, license, creator, tags and upload time. +1m across all hosters. +10k records.
- YouTube - Broadcast Yourself - video hosting and sharing service
- This example has a Title, Html URL, thumbnail URL, description or summary, license, creator, tags and upload time. +1m across all hosters. +15k records.
- Mefeedia - Mefeedia is the best place to find free videoblogs or video podcasts.
- This example has a Title, Html URL, thumbnail URL, thumbnail title, media type overlay icon, creator.
- Vimeo - The Flickr of Video
- This example has a Title, thumbnail (class=moduleClipThumb), thumbnail URL, Html URL, creator.
- DailyMotion - Watch, publish, share
- This example has a thumbnail (class=category_minilist_item_video_preview_image), with an Html URL, thumbnail URL, certain info (class=category_minilist_infos), title (class=category_minilist_item_title), href to country tag (with image icon with class=category_minilist_item_flag, image title set to country name).
- http://www.nbc.com
- http://abc.go.com
- http://www.radio-locator.com
- http://video.google.com
- http://www.videosift.com
- http://www.footbag.org/gallery/video
- http://www.break.com
- http://www.collegehumor.com
- http://www.ebaumsworld.com
- http://www.holylemon.com/
- http://www.collegehumor.com/
- http://www.crooksandliars.com/
- Yahoo Video
- MySpace Videos
- YouTube
- MSN Video
- AOL Video
- Heavy
- Google Video
- Ebaum's World
- iFilm
- Break
- Metacafe
- Atom Films
- Veoh
- Grouper
- Revver
Photos
- A few photos online have region annotation and quoting. But as tools are developed that are usable for mass publishers, this will likely increase.
- Many videos have thumbnails that are jpgs.
- Many videos use pictures and therefore the pictures themselves are quotes from the video.
- Most photos have the same elements as videos and audio, with the exception of quotes.
Individual Publishing of Photos
- Blog A Brac » E=m6 a est fâché avec le centimètre - photo with annotated screen-caps
- This example has a Title, Html URL, media URL, description or summary, creator, quotes and descriptions, tags/categories, and publish date and time. +200 across all individually blogged photos.
- Scribbling.net implementation of Fotonotes Plugin demonstrating the fotonotes annotation tool for photos
- This example has media url, quotes and descriptions, creator. +200 across all individually blogged photos.
- http://community.livejournal.com/boston_photos/
- http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/
- http://bakingsheet.blogspot.com/
- For more work along the lines of 2d annotations, please see (and add to) photo-note-examples.
Service publishing of photos
- Flickr - Photo Sharing instance of a photo.
- This example has a Title, Html URL, media URL, description or summary, quotes URLs and descriptions, licence, tags, upload time, playlist (set), license, creator, and other capture data. +millions across all hosters. +millions of records.
- Webshots - Search results, gallery view.
- This example has a Title, Html URL, creator, licence, Premium/Standard access.
- Webshots - Single photo view.
- This example has a Title, Html URL, creator, licence, link to creator's other photos. Three alternate download sizes, link to buy a print. Link to add as favorite. Link to next, previous photos in collection. Photo belongs to generic category (no tags). Links to related photo searches.
- Zooomr - Photo sharing site
- Need instances of individual photos, and analysis of what visible info each instance provides or can potentially provide.
- http://www.deviantart.com
- http://moblog.co.uk
- http://www.tabblo.com/studio
- http://www.corbis.com
- http://www.istockphoto.com
- http://www.sxc.hu
- http://tinypic.com/images.php
- http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/elfwood.pike
- http://www.epilogue.net/cgi/database/art/editors.pl/
- http://illuminatorsguild.com/artists/dlisting.php
- http://ackegard.com/gallery/main.php
- http://www.caligari.com/Gallery/ImagesGallery/default.asp?Cate=GImages
- http://www.amateurillustrator.com/
- http://www.cgchannel.com/gallery/
- http://www.alrioart.com/
Notes on Existing Practices
Mary Hodder:
- We are finding as we look at thousands of user generated media records, that all have titles, creator, at least a default licensing, most have tags whose functionality is made available through the hosting service (the richer the media, the more likely tagging goes toward 100%), Html and media URLs, thumbnail URLs, publishing date, and about 25% have quoting information of some sort (quotes of video or audio, and region quotes of photos).
- Tags apparently appear at the upload point on 61% of photos in Flickr, and within a short period, 80+% have tags. 12% of users in Flickr apparently tag photos other than their own.
Manu Sporny (on music):
- There is an increasing number of sites that link to different methods of acquiring content displayed on a web page. These may include links to high-quality, or full versins of the media being described on the page. The various options include: free, streaming with ads, one-time purchase, and rental.
- Summaries, long descriptions and reviews are also prevalent in some of the content.
Manu Sporny (on video):
- We should attempt to support the basic information on sites that have been operational for years such as IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes among others. These sites tend to have very detailed information on all things related to video and TV - other sites will follow their lead because their meta-data seems to be the most complete on the web - thus making every other site contain a sub-set of their meta-data.
Next Steps
- Add more real-world, simple, minimal examples.
- Research and organize existing/previous media-info-formats, with a focus on formats for publishing common, user-visible media information.
- Start media-info-brainstorming based on examples.
See Also
- media-metadata-examples - previous attempt to catalog and organize top down metadata systems generated by engineers and committees, as examples of elements, and includes formats which should be in a separate page. Useful as a source of research but this microformat needs to embrace the bottomup ways users are publishing photos, video and audio online.