Any way to cut TuneIn out of Alexa?
August 31, 2021 1:07 PM Subscribe
It seems that if you ask an Alexa-based device like an Echo Dot to "play [call letters]" it will go with whatever the top result is on TuneIn for that station, and often that fails, eg. by playing the pre-roll and nothing else. I'd like to cut TuneIn out of the loop.
We (ibiblio) provide streaming support for several stations, and one station more or less consistently has problems where listeners complain to them that their Alexa-based devices won't play their station. The problem seems to be specific to the combination of Alexa and TuneIn. I can't reproduce the problem with the TuneIn app on an android device or with the TuneIn website. That said, TuneIn as an entity has been largely unresponsive. Here is a previous thread where the combination of an Alexa-based device and TuneIn was causing trouble, and another more recent thread that just suggests filing a bug with Amazon, but given the long-standing nature of this, I'm doubting the efficacy of doing that.
The only answer I've found through simple looking around is to have the radio station build their own skill, but the prerequisites for that are significantly beyond what most radio stations have the expertise for in-house, and supporting that is definitely out of scope in the short term for us. Have I missed something?
We (ibiblio) provide streaming support for several stations, and one station more or less consistently has problems where listeners complain to them that their Alexa-based devices won't play their station. The problem seems to be specific to the combination of Alexa and TuneIn. I can't reproduce the problem with the TuneIn app on an android device or with the TuneIn website. That said, TuneIn as an entity has been largely unresponsive. Here is a previous thread where the combination of an Alexa-based device and TuneIn was causing trouble, and another more recent thread that just suggests filing a bug with Amazon, but given the long-standing nature of this, I'm doubting the efficacy of doing that.
The only answer I've found through simple looking around is to have the radio station build their own skill, but the prerequisites for that are significantly beyond what most radio stations have the expertise for in-house, and supporting that is definitely out of scope in the short term for us. Have I missed something?
Just providing supplementary information that may help. It's not as simple as you are describing.
If I say "Play WNYC," Alexa will automatically tell me that it's playing "WNYC [+ long-winded filler] on iHeart Radio." I don't have to mention a source for WNYC. TuneIn doesn't seem to be involved, contrary to your description of Alexa automatically going to TuneIn. Alexa goes to iHeart Radio.
If I say "Play WNED" Alexa will automatically announce "WNED Classical from TuneIn." IOW, I don't have to mention any source to look in for WNED.
If I say "Play MSNBC" Alexa will sometimes play a random song or channel that may sound something like "MSNBC", or may announce "Playing MSNBC from TuneIn." Usually I have to ask "Play MSNBC from TuneIn" to avoid getting the random song or channel. It changes from day to day.
I'm taking the time to provide this information because I'm frustrated that Amazon provides (i.e.pushes to me) so little information to me, their customer, on how to use Alexa.
posted by JimN2TAW at 10:13 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
If I say "Play WNYC," Alexa will automatically tell me that it's playing "WNYC [+ long-winded filler] on iHeart Radio." I don't have to mention a source for WNYC. TuneIn doesn't seem to be involved, contrary to your description of Alexa automatically going to TuneIn. Alexa goes to iHeart Radio.
If I say "Play WNED" Alexa will automatically announce "WNED Classical from TuneIn." IOW, I don't have to mention any source to look in for WNED.
If I say "Play MSNBC" Alexa will sometimes play a random song or channel that may sound something like "MSNBC", or may announce "Playing MSNBC from TuneIn." Usually I have to ask "Play MSNBC from TuneIn" to avoid getting the random song or channel. It changes from day to day.
I'm taking the time to provide this information because I'm frustrated that Amazon provides (i.e.pushes to me) so little information to me, their customer, on how to use Alexa.
posted by JimN2TAW at 10:13 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
See if this helps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiz5BtanppU
Supposedly it's "how to create Alexa skill for your radio station". I think it goes through radio.co and they charge $10 per month. But they do all the heavy lifting.
posted by kschang at 1:39 PM on August 31, 2021