User roles and permissions

There are three default roles

• Host / Editorial Staff

• Programme Manager

• Radio Station Administrator

To learn more about these roles, check the user and host profile page.

In the radio administration these roles are realized using groups and an assigned set of permissions. But any of these permissions can also be assigned individually to user accounts.

The Host / Editorial Staff role is provided in two flavors, in form of a host Host and Host+ group. This allows administrators to get an impression on different permission capabilities more quickly. When finalizing the radio station configuration, decide for one of these Host groups and modify individual permissions to your organizational needs.

Public visibility of data

Whenever editing any data, keep in mind, that almost all data is visible via public APIs. All the data is read-only for non authenticated users. Basically the API provides all data which is typically also visible on radio station websites.

Additionally, this also includes metadata like when and by whom a record was created or updated last.

The only exceptions are those fields, which are only visible internally and only editable by certain roles:

Area	Field	Visible only to these roles
user	first name	All authenticated users
user	last name	All authenticated users
user	email	All authenticated users
host	email	All authenticated users
show	email	All authenticated users
show	internal_note	Programme managers

Open data principle vs. user privacy

As advocates for open data, we’re all about transparency, just like community radio stations. But remember, always follow the law in your area. For example, in the European Union (GDPR), users need to agree before you share their personal data. So, be sure to get their written consent first.

Secure storage of user passwords

We want to assert, that passwords are only stored in hashed form and are therefore not even visible to administrators. They are never exposed by API, since authentication is performed using OpenID.

Groups and their default permissions

Beside the default read-access, the groups are pre-configured with these permission assignments:

Area	Field	Host	Host+	Programme Manager
show	name			edit
show	slug			edit
show	short description		edit	edit
show	description		edit	edit
show	logo		edit	edit
show	image		edit	edit
show	categories			edit
show	topics			edit
show	music genres			edit
show	languages			edit
show	type			edit
show	email		edit	edit
show	links		edit	edit
show	hosts / editorial staff		edit	edit
show	administrators			edit
show	funding category			edit
show	cba id			edit
show	predecessor			edit
show	internal_note	no read access	no read access	display, edit
show	is active			edit
show	default media source		edit	edit
schedule	default media source		edit	edit
episode	title	edit	edit	edit
episode	summary	edit	edit	edit
episode	content	edit	edit	edit
episode	image	edit	edit	edit
episode	contributors	edit	edit	edit
episode	topics			edit
episode	languages		edit	edit
episode	tags	edit	edit	edit
episode	links		edit	edit
media-source	file	select	select	select
media-source	line		select	select
media-source	stream		select	select
media-source	import		select	select
host	name	edit	edit	edit
host	biography		edit	edit
host	email		edit	edit

To serve the overview, permission strings in the table are simplified. When looking up the actual permission string, take the permission verb and combine it with the field name in format Can {verb} {field}. For example Can edit music genres is the permission string you will find in the permission assignment interface.

All cells without a permission string represent read-only access, except the ones marked with no read access.

Each group also holds wildcard permission assignments like add episode, change episode, delete episode and view episode which is not visible here. These are required for properly granting access to data by inheriting global permissions. Some are required for permissions through ownership (see next chapter). Generally you should not edit these assignments.

Permissions through ownership

Permissions through ownership only affects the Host and Host+ roles, since Programme Managers have all relevant permissions to manage all shows and profiles.

Ownership of shows and episodes

Users which are assigned as Show Admins in the show settings, automatically have the permissions to list and edit their own shows, according to the assigned role (Host, Host+, or individual permissions). The permissions listed in the table, only grant users editing rights for shows they are actually owning.

Ownership permissions on shows and their episodes is granted by having these wildcard permissions assigned:

Can change show
Can change episode

Ownership of host profiles

In case of the host profile, only the owner can edit the fields, they have permissions on. Here ownership is represented by a relation between user and the host profile.

Additionally editorial staff members need the ability to assign guests to certain episodes (contributors). To do so, they often need to create host profiles on-the-fly.

Ownership permissions on host profiles is granted by having these wildcard permissions assigned:

Can change host

Assign roles and permissions

Read here, to learn on how to assign roles and permissions:

• Manage users

• Manage groups