SCC PODCAST

This page primarily describes how to create a podcast from Supreme Court of Canada hearings for publication on SCC Podcast.   

WHO CAN CONTRIBUTE

It is important that podcasts published on SCC Podcast are accurate. For this reason, SCC Podcast will accept podcast scripts and/or audio files from the following people:

• Legal professionals (lawyers, judges, professors), and

• Law students in 2nd or 3rd year.

Anyone else who wants to contribute to a podcast can do so by collaborating with one or more individuals of the type listed above. Indeed, collaborations are welcome.

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE

CREATE AN SCC PODCAST

There are 2 different ways to submit a podcast:

Provide start and end times of clips of the hearing to be used, and

1. provide a host script, or

2. provide host audio files (preferred method of contribution).

Regardless of which method you choose to submit your podcast, you must provide a spreadsheet containing the details of your submission (herein after referred to as a 'Submission Spreadsheet'). A sample Submission Spreadsheet can be found here. A Submission Spreadsheet should have two sheets: one for the podcast script and one for the podcast metadata. The script sheet of the Submission Spreadsheet must contain start and end times of various portions of the hearing to be used in the podcast along with host content that will be spoken in between the hearing clips. See the script-template sheet in the sample Submission Spreadsheet for an example. To create a final product, we clip out portions of the hearing, as specified by you, and concatenate them to host audio files. 

The different elements that may be included in a Submission Spreadsheet are described below. Note that the inclusion of some of the elements below depend on the which publication method you choose.

PODCAST METADATA (required)

Various metadata data will need to be included in your Submission Spreadsheet including:

1. The author(s) of the host script. 

2. The link and the case name of the Supreme Court of Canada hearing that you used to create your podcast script. For example, here is the link to the Teva Canada Ltd v Pfizer Canada Inc (2012 SCC 60) hearing.

3. The link to archived webcast mp4 file. For example, here is the link to the mp4 file for Teva Canada Ltd v Pfizer Canada Inc (2012 SCC 60) hearing. See below for details on how to find this link for the hearing you are interested in making into a podcast.

4. Provide 1-2 keywords of the area of law to which your podcast pertains to. For example: 'patent law' or 'administrative law'.

5. A brief description of the case.

6. An explanation of how your submission satisfies the "Who Can Contribute" requirements.

See the submission-metadata sheet in the sample Submission Spreadsheet for an example on how to include metadata in your podcast submission.

CLIPS FROM THE HEARING (required)

Regardless of which publication method you choose (providing a host script or host audio files) you will need to provide start and end times of clips of the hearing that should be used in the podcast. SCC Podcast creates clips of the hearings by first downloading an mp4 file of the full hearing from the Supreme Court of Canada website. You will need to provide us with this link as part of the metadata in your Submission Spreadsheet. Before you start making your podcast ensure that this mp4 file is available because without it SCC Podcast cannot clip out relevant portions of the hearing. Described below is the process of downloading Supreme Court hearings in mp4 file format and how to record hearing clips in your Submission Spreadsheet.

1. DOWNLOADING AN MP4 FILE FROM THE SUPREME COURT OF CANADA WEBSITE

The following protocol should only be used to create podcasts for SCC Podcast. Full or partial reproduction of archived hearings from the Supreme Court of Canada are subject to restrictions (see their website).

This section provides an example of how to download an mp4 file of a Supreme Court of Canada hearings onto your local computer. In this example, we show you how to download the mp4 file from the Teva Canada Ltd v Pfizer Canada Inc (2012 SCC 60) hearing. You can copy this protocol to download whatever Supreme Court webcast archive you are interested in making into a podcast. If you are having troubles finding the mp4 file for the hearing you are interested in, contact scclawpodcast@gmail.com for assistance.

step 1:  Go to the Supreme Court of Canada's website and find the link to an archived webcast that you are interested in. Here is the link (herein after referred to as 'The Archived Webcast Page') for Teva Canada Limited v. Pfizer Canada Inc.

step 2:  View the page source code of The Archived Webcast Page by pressing ctrl+U or by right clicking on the page and choosing 'View page source'.

step 3:  In the newly opened page source tab press ctrl+F and search for the word 'video'. Find a line that looks similar to this:

var srcUrl = "https://video.isilive.ca/scc/2012/2012-04-18--33951-" + suffix + ".mp4.html";

step 4:  Replace 'suffix' with 'english', 'francais', or 'floor' depending on what file you want to download and what files are available (which is ascertainable from the radio buttons under the 'Select Format and Language' header on The Archived Webcast Page).

step 5:  The final downloadable mp4 file link to Teva Canada Limited v Pfizer Canada Inc is:

https://video.isilive.ca/scc/2012/2012-04-18--33951-english.mp4

step 6:  Enter this into the address bar in a browser of your choice then save the video by right clicking on the video and selecting 'Save video as...' or by pressing ctrl+S.

2. RECORDING START AND END TIMES OF THE HEARING

You should listen to the downloaded mp4 file of the hearing when providing SCC Podcast with the start and end times of hearing clips in your Submission Spreadsheet. This will ensure that the file you listen to will be the same file that SCC Podcast edits. See the script-template sheet in the sample Submission Spreadsheet for an example on how to include hearing start and end times for your submission. 

** It is important that the start and end times of the SCC hearing clips accurately represent the desired portions of the hearing you want included in your podcast episode. To assist you with this task, you can use online-video-cutter.com to upload the mp4 hearing file link (described above) and determine hearing clip start and end times with precision of a tenth of a second.  Listen to the selected time interval and once satisfied record the interval onto your Submission Spreadsheet.

HOST SCRIPT (optional)

If you prefer not to be the host yourself, you can simply provide a script and we will find a student to volunteer as the host. If you proceed with this method, you must provide a script of what the host should say. See the script-template sheet in the sample Submission Spreadsheet for details on how to submit your script with a host script.

HOST AUDIO FILES (optional but preferred)

Here are some tips for how to provide SCC Podcast with host audio files:

• Introduce yourself the first time you speak (name only please). 

• You can record the host using a phone. 

• You can have multiple hosts. 

• Record in a quiet location. 

• There should be a separate audio file for each time the host speaks between hearing clips. 

• Do not have more than a second of silence in the beginning and end of each audio file. 

• Speak at a constant distance away from your recording device and at a constant volume (but not monotone) so that mastering of the audio files is easier.

• Do not include spaces in the audio file names.

• Be entertaining. 

See the script-template sheet in the sample Submission Spreadsheet for details on how to submit your script with host audio files. To submit audio files, you will need to specify a link to a publicly accessible Google drive folder containing all of your host mp3 files.  

REQUESTING PUBLICATION OF YOUR PODCAST

Once you choose a Supreme Court of Canada hearing that you are interested in, specify the clips of the hearing you would like to use and create a host script or submit host audio files. Then fill out all relevant information in accordance with the sample Submission Spreadsheet. Note that the publication of your podcast is in the discretion of SCC Podcast editors. The discretion to publish your podcast submission is based on:

• An accurate description of the case: don't present arguments or responses to arguments out of context.

• How entertaining the podcast is.

• The quality of the host audio files (if applicable).

• Appropriate length of the podcast (aim for 20-40 minutes of air time).

• Collaboration with others (multiple hosts and multiple script authors is preferred).

• How accurately you recorded the start and end time of hearing clips to include.

When you are ready, submit your materials for publication by clicking the button below:

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

AVAILABILITY OF ARCHIVED HEARINGS

Note that not all Supreme Court of Canada Decisions are archived. The first archived Supreme Court of Canada hearing was from February 10, 2009. The Supreme Court of Canada also does not record some cases for privacy reasons. 

COPYRIGHT ISSUES

Podcasts provided by SCC Podcast are free and therefore are subject to the non-commercial use limitations provided by the Supreme Court of Canada's website, which includes the following:

"Unless otherwise specified, you may reproduce the material in whole or in part for non-commercial purposes, in any format, without charge or further permission, provided you do the following:

• Exercise due diligence in ensuring the accuracy of the reproduced material;

• Indicate the complete title of the reproduced material and identify the Supreme Court of Canada as the source; and

• Indicate that the reproduction is a copy of the version available at [URL where the original document is available].

The reproduction must not be represented as an official version of the reproduced material, or as having been made in affiliation with or with the endorsement of the Supreme Court of Canada."

Notably, the Supreme Court of Canada archived webcasts are subject to the Copyright Act (RSC 1985, c C-42) and thus, use of the hearings are subject to the limits that the Copyright Act imposes. Additionally, the use of subject matter discussed in hearings may be further subject to the copyright of another party. 

Notably, copyright subsists in headnotes and case summaries. If you are writing a script or providing audio for a podcast, do not reproduce anyone else's copyrighted material.

HEARINGS UNDER A PUBLICATION BAN

Some cases are subject to a publication ban. For example, see this link here. One government of Canada website describes publication bans in the following manner:

What is a publication ban?

"A publication ban is an order the Court makes that prevents anyone from publishing, broadcasting, or sending any information that could identify a victim, witness, or other person who participates in the criminal justice system. The publication ban is intended to allow victims, witnesses, and others to participate in the justice system without suffering negative consequences."

If you have any knowledge that can identify a participant in a criminal case subject to a publication ban it is best not to create a podcast on that hearing. Please be respectful of privacy of others.

OTHER WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE

Podcast editors: If you are interested in editing audio clips of SCC Podcast submissions, drop us a line at scclawpodcast@gmail.com. Basic knowledge of the command line (how to navigate directories and install software) is required.

Podcast reviewers: If you have experience in a particular branch of law and are interested in providing feedback regarding the accuracy of podcasts published by SCC Podcast, drop us a line at scclawpodcast@gmail.com. 

General issues: If you spot any spelling mistakes on this website, or any inaccuracies in the podcasts published by SCC Podcast, or any copyright issues, drop us a line at scclawpodcast@gmail.com.