Interactive Marketing

Interested in finding an internet radio station. This article will point you in the right direction and explain the best options you can use to find stations you are interested in as well as the different kinds of stations available.

The options to find internet radio stations abound. The most commonly used method would be internet radio station directories. These directories list only internet radio stations. I will list a few at the end of this article. There are many of these directories available online. Some list thousands of radio streams while others list a few hundred exclusive stations.

Using these directories is usually very easy and straight forward. They will have a listing of all stations, listings by genre, and many have listing by bitrate or location to make your choice easier. Most of them have a search system so you can choose any or all of the mentioned options to find your preferred station.

The genres available can range from talk radio, news broadcasts, music of any kind you can imagine, to live dj's that offer some or part of all of these. Since internet radio stations originate from just about every country in the world your choices are limitless. Unlike conventional radio your choices are not limited to your radio receiver. There are also AM and FM radio stations that offer internet streams from their physical stations as a listening option. This can allow you to listen to your local radio station as well.

In conclusion I will list some of the most common basic genres available.

Alternative, Americana Blues, Classical, Comedy, Country, Dance, Easy Listening, Electronica, Folk, Freeform, Funk, International, Jazz, Oldies, Pop, R&B, RapHip-Hop, Reggae, Religious, Rock, Soundtracks, Talk, Various.

Internet radio has been around for a while, but it's historically been delivered by personal computers and laptops. But recently AV receivers have started featuring a network connection, bringing internet radio stations into the living room. Onkyo, a leading brand in home theater receivers, has nearly a dozen models with an internet connection with prices running the gamut from low-end to high-end.

What is Internet Radio (IR)

IR started over a decade ago with individual web sites streaming audio to personal computers - sometimes for free, sometimes for a monthly fee. This was followed by many over-the-air stations also launching online streaming, usually of their regular broadcast at no charge. Since then many IR stations have become more like networks, offering numerous channels.

There are several major internet radio sites to choose from. Pandora is perhaps the most popular. It stands out from the crowd by automatically creating custom selections for you. You can choose individual artists, and Pandora will stream out their recordings plus some by other artists with similar styles, sounds, and topics. It's free with embedded commercials, and you can eliminate the audio ads for a small monthly fee. Other services like Rhapsody and Napster are more like on-demand downloads. For a monthly fee you get unlimited access to songs you select yourself. SiriusXM is the most like broadcast radio, with music, news, talk, and sports available by satellite or internet. It's commercial free with a monthly fee. Fees for these services are relatively moderate, ranging from $10 to $20 per month.

It's great to listen while working on your PC, but even better to enjoy it on your high-quality home entertainment system. This used to mean having a PC connected up to the audio system or plugging and unplugging a laptop. The sound quality was often limited by the PC's electronics. More recently laptops and some PCs include an HDMI port that transfers the digital sound without any analog degradation. But you still have to make a PC part of the home entertainment system, or hook up a laptop when you want to listen.

Onkyo Internet Radio Models

Now days many AV receivers have a network interface built-in, so that a PC or laptop just isn't needed. Onkyo has some 10 models with this feature, ranging from the low-end TX-NR509 at around $300 way up to the TX-NR5007 at around $3000. The internet sound quality is always the same - the more expensive models offer greater analog sound quality, higher watts per channel, and more features.

The Onkyo TX-NR609 is a great lower-cost model and arguably offers the best bang for the bucks. It delivers 7.2 channels of surround-sound at up to 100 watts per channel. This model offers the features and quality you'd expect in a much more expensive receiver. It's Audessy sound processing includes automatic equalization. It can switch up to 6 HDMI video channels and upgrades any source to high-resolution with noise reduction and edge enhancement. So it's very well suited to home theaters.

With regards to internet radio, this and other Onkyo models perform audio processing to improve the sound of compressed sources such as MP3s and many IR services. This means you'll get more than just a better amplifier and speakers. Firmware provides compatibility with Napster, Pandora, Rhapsody, SiriusXM, Slacker and a couple more. You can even control sites like Pandora using a hand-held remote and the on-screen-display graphical user interface. That's also common across the various Onkyo models with network interfaces.

Conclusion

If you're tired of mass-market on-air radio stations, internet radio is a delightful breath of fresh air. No longer limited to personal computers and high-end home audio systems, it's now widely available and quite affordable.

As with most things in life, any part of it can come to an abrupt end. The recent decision of the Royalty Copyright Board appears to have threatened to remove a part of many thousands of consumers daily lives. Over the last several years the internet radio following has grown significantly in the U.S. It should come as no surprise considering the very nature of the internet. Due to its musical diversity and lack of corporate influence on what it plays and when, internet radio has flourished. But we must first define flourish in this situation. Has it flourished monetarily No. The vast majority of independent broadcasters not only do not make a profit, they pay their expenses including royalty payments out of pocket. In terms of listeners, yes it has flourished. So much so that during the recent congressional hearing, The Future of Radio, the siriusxm reps named it as competition and a reason they needed this merger citing internet radios price structure, free.

Doesn't sound like a very good business model for internet broadcasters with all costs and little or no profit. Why do it The bulk of internet broadcasters is made up of hobbyist licensed through a larger company at a somewhat affordable rate. This allows broadcasters that would not otherwise be able to afford the fees entailed by licensing individually to become an internet radio station channel. This very model is what in essence gives internet radio it's wide diversity of music. Many do not run nor want to run ads or commercials. They extract their payment through the joy of broadcasting and the many listeners that tune in. They merely want to share their interest in music genre with those whom want to listen. Make no mistake, these are usually very professionally programmed broadcasts. These broadcasters take pride in their work.

Some would ask what's the difference between internet radio and any terrestrial am or fm station. The answer would at first seem to be only that one is on the airwaves and the other is on a wire. This is not true. Much of the music found on internet radio will almost certainly never be heard in the mainstream media outlets. Internet radio has embraced the independent and unknown artists giving them exposure previously reserved for only the top 40 or 50 most popular artists. Many of these indie artist have received national recognition due to play time on internet radio stations. This model gives your favorite local band a chance to be heard worldwide. It leads to cd sales and possible record contracts. Indeed it would seem the playing field between the famous and not so famous has been somewhat leveled, at least in the internet community. It's also notable that terrestrial am and fm stations do not pay the royalties in question. They are given a free ride in the name of promoting artists therefore considered a benefit to record companies. Just as notable is the fact that 49.9% of all new songs and artists were heard first on the internet in 2006, not amfm stations, leading to huge song and cd sales.

So why would the large record companies push for these high royalty rates That is the question on everyones mind. Why indeed. The internet has proven itself to be a viable outlet for new music sales. One would think the music recording industry would grasp this technology with open arms and welcome it into their already existing media outlets. There seems to be some kind of misconception in the music industry, and even with the recording artists themselves, concerning what internet radio is. It is not peer to peer sharing as has been insinuated. Internet broadcasters neither condone nor accept this method. In reality most stations use special programming to deter and stop this activity from their broadcasts, although as we all know, anyone can record music from their favorite am or fm station using their home stereo system. Internet broadcasters do not intend to give away anyones music. They simply, as any other music medium, let their listeners hear some music. If the listener likes it then he or she is enticed to purchase that music. It is a broadcast, no more no less. Most internet stations have a Buy Now button for listeners to immediately purchase the artists music they are listening to generating instant sales. I don't think am and fm stations, nor satelite radio for that matter can offer the same instant access. The business model is now looking pretty good for the recording industry, and it costs them absolutely nothing. Free advertising, free public exposure to artists, instant purchasing access to the consumer, how much better can it get Why not embrace it I am quite puzzled about this line of thinking. The proverbial Cutting of your nose to spite your face comes to mind.

Who will be affected if the current rates are not overturned or negotiated to an acceptable rate The outcry went out from broadcasters all over the U.S. after the subsequent announcement of the new royalty rates. To better understand these rates I'll use the example in a recent article by RAIN. (Radio and Internet Newsletter) the new rates calculate to be to $1.28 per hour per listener taking into consideration an average of 16 songs per hour. This does not include the additional fee of $500.00 per year per channel. Anyone using their calculator can easily see with even a 100 listeners at that rate the costs escalate quickly over a 24 hour period. Again, terrestrial am and fm stations do not pay any of these additional royalty fees. These fees are in addition to other royalties paid to ASCAP, BMi and SESAC. At first glance you would think this affects only internet broadcasters. This is far from the truth. The internet broadcast industry is made up multiple small businesses. The broadcasters are the ones that are visible. Take into account the many stream providers that each station must have to send out their stream. Then you have a host of professional voices standing ready to make your internet station professional station ids, jingles and even news broadcasts. Small companies stand ready to promote your station and help drive listeners to tune in. Software companies that are producing professional grade programs to run your internet radio station while instantaneously keeping you compliant with existing DMCA (Digital Millineum Copyright Act) rules.

These are but a few of the small businesses affected by the rate changes. There is also the listenerconsumer that chooses to tune in daily to their favorite internet station. 100s of 1000s of listeners tune in every day. They do so for the diversity and easy access of the music. Perhaps they don't have access to terrestrial amfm stations. It's obvious that not only are broadcasters affected, but a complete industry in it's infancy would be stifled andor removed if things do not change. A very significant consumer base would be eliminated. You, I and everyone that enjoys this music medium would be robbed of our musical pleasure. I find it hard to swallow that our congress would allow a complete industry to fall prey to this action and die. Our government openly promotes small business and entrepreneurship. Do the wants of the few outweigh the wants of the many

In my opinion our government should be compelled to step in if negotiations fail to find a reasonable concession between internet broadcasters and SoundExchange (The Recording Industry Association of Americas collection agency). All broadcast mediums should have a more level playing field in regards to royalty payments. The threat to all involved in the internet broadcasting industry should be enough to warrant this in itself. Several websites have been set up for people to contact their congressman and voice their opinion on this controversial decision.

A year in the making the service was launched today. The creator stated he felt it was time for internet radio to have their own news medium rather than carry one of the few mainstream news services. It was my goal to have a news service that was specific and unique to internet radio stations he said.

The service is being offered in two flavors, free and paid. The news service will primarily focus on U.S. national news. It offers 3 two minute segments per day Monday through Friday. The segments are fully produced by the services staff. In addition the website carries the full news stories used in the segments on their website, which are also written in house by the staff.

Internet radio as well as other internet related media have grown in use tremendously over the last few years. It's not surprising that services such as this are appearing on the scene. Could this service rival such larger companies as ABC, NBC or Fox, I honestly don't think so. But it could prove to be a welcome and interesting alternative for the internet radio listener. News podcasters have had great success because they offer subjects and commentary mainstream news overlooks.

Time will tell if a internet radio news service can gather a following of interested persons. It seems probable given the amount of time people around the world spend on the internet, as well as listening to online music stations that would broadcast this news. My personal opinion is that not only could this endeavor succeed, it could become a well established online news source. The biggest factor involved from my point of view will be if internet stations actually broadcast the services news.

Some things in life never really go out of style. Well, they change forms and take on new looks, but they remain. One of such time defying inventions is the radio. No matter what skeptics would have you believe, the radio is very much alive and kicking even in this era of digital entertainment. Of course, the persistent existence of the radio has subjected it to some changes. Bulky radios or even the smaller, battery-powered transistors are becoming increasingly rare with every passing day. But the core essence of radio technology, that of sound and music being transmitted from a central station, still survives and is gaining in strength and popularity with passing time. Let's investigate this amazing phenomenon.

The radio in the 21st century has taken on a new avatar. It has merged with possibly the most powerful medium of modern times, the Internet. The result E-radio, (what else) In this era of e-mails, e-shopping and e-commerce, e-radios, or Internet radios as they are often called as, are a natural occurrence. We are not surprised, and nor should be you! If you've been reading the writing on the wall, you already knew that it had to come someday. So, the good news is, it's here! And how! Let's take a closer look.

Internet radio networks are on the rise and the reason is not hard to understand. Much of their popularity can be attributed to the huge proliferation of Internet technologies. It is, however, interesting to note that Internet radio, however, is not a very novel innovation. In other words, Internet radio networks have been around for quite a while now. It is only recently, with the proliferation of Internet technology and faster connectivity, that the phenomenon called Internet radio has truly come of age. Today, the listener is pampered with a bevy of channels (or stations), catering to specific areas of interest. This is becoming a standard feature of Internet radio networks that serve music online. The listener can tune into any of dozens of stations covering such genres as Classic Rock, Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Jazz, 80s music, 70s music, Oldies, New Age, Reggae, Country, Latin, Euro, Ambient, Lounge, Progressive, Techno and what not. Hours and hours of uninterrupted music at no cost - that's the magnitude of the entertainment provided by Internet radio networks.

Among the most popular Internet radio networks are the ones that feature Internet Talk Radio. Streaming talk shows and discussions on a wide range of subjects have made them popular among serious listeners or those who carve for something more than just music from their e-radios. Internet talk radio programs host various talk shows with specialists on different subject matters who anchor the show. While traditional radio broadcasters have often used the Internet to advertise or promote their shows, Internet radio technology has actually revolutionized the concept and simple programming requirements have taken it to the extent where individuals, organizations or anyone for that matter, can easily host their own Internet talk radio station from the comfort of their home.

Internet radio networks like Voice America make it easier to host your own Internet talk radio show. Such Internet radio networks not only provide you with the technology to host your Internet radio show but also give you a complete package of Internet streaming media broadcasting, proven support services in web, marketing, and interactive solutions that help you to make your mark and your presence known to the ever increasing Internet audience. If you are planning to host your own Internet talk radio, it's worth contacting Internet radio networks like Voice America.

Hawaiian music consists of a good deal more than Don Ho singing Tiny Bubbles (not that there's anything wrong with that--I like Tiny Bubbles). It's more than grass-skirted hula girls singing Aloha-Oe to groups of tourists.

The influence of Hawaiian music is also greater than most people would suspect. For instance, some musicologists believe that Hawaiian slack-key guitar playing, which surfaced on a number of popular recordings in the early 20th century, inspired the slide guitar sound of the Delta blues.

Thanks to Internet radio, it's possible to explore the true depth and breadth of this beautiful musical genre. There are several Web broadcasters who stream Hawaiian music 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All you need to enjoy it, besides an Internet connection, is media player software, a good sound card and speakers or headphones.

The strumming of ukuleles or Hawaiian guitar will quickly transport you to a sandy South Seas beach lapped by warm waters and sheltered by palm trees. But Hawaiian music can be much more than the soundtrack to a mental vacation. It can also be educational.

For instance, I recently visited the Hawaiian Rainbow Web site, one of the premier providers of free streaming Hawaiian music. While listening to Somewhere Over the Rainbow being by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, I noticed links to sub-sections of the site, organized by island--the Big Island, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Oahu. Evidently, each island in the Hawaiian chain produces its own distinctive music and boasts its own native performing artists.

I definitely plan to return to the site soon to learn more about the differences and similarities between the different islands' musical traditions. On my first visit, though, I was content to enjoy the all-islands offerings of Hawaiian Rainbow's main streaming music channel. These included E Wai'anae by The Pandanus Club, Hilo Hula by Holunpe, Beautiful 'Ilima by Martin Pahinui, Haleiwa Hula by Gabby Pahinui and Hawai'i Aloha by the Hawaiian All Star Band.

One day I shall visit the tropical paradise of Hawaii in person. Until then, though, I'll always know where to go when I feel the need for a quick mind-trip to the land of leis and coconuts Hawaiian Internet radio.

Stefan Smith is a radio junkie who writes on entertainment and related subjects for the Solid Gold Info Writers Consortium. Recently, he has written an extensive review of new software that anyone can use to capture music audio streams from Internet radio broadcasts and break them up into individual mp3 song files--a legal way to download virtually free music.

Internet radio can be a huge undertaking. There are a zillion stations to pick from, and finding one that fits your preferences can be tiresome. An internet radio directory offers some order from the chaos.

Streamfinder.com is one such directory. It offers options for both listeners and broadcasters. Basically it's an aggregator, meaning they provide access to stations' servers participating on their site.

There are close to 14,000 stations to choose from, and they can be searched by keyword, artist, or genre. Signing up(free), enables you to save your favorite stations.

Their base genre list includes NPR, talk, reggae, alternative, rap, country, jazz, techno, 60's, 70's, 80's, easy listening, electronica, hip hop, jpop, kpop, latin, world news, and the option to add stations for you broadcasters out there.

For those out there interested in broadcasting, under thestart streaming link on the main toolbar are complete tutorials on accomplishing this.

Since I'm primarily a listener(at least right now), let's focus on that aspect. What's cool is when you pick a genre, they give what appears to be a simple list of stations.

Ha Ha, but looks can be deceiving, for when you click on a link you get the stations' profile page including bitrate info, which media players, stream format (mp3,aac etc.), recently played songs, primary station format, any associated tags, other stations geared toward the primary station format, and a listing of similar genres.

For example, I chose funk, and got 222 results on over nine pages, which is the most funk listings I've seen short offers straight Google results. I also like the brief description of the genre shown as part of the page as well.

Genre listing links similar to funk hip-hop, rap,funky jazz, soul, popfunk, nu jazz etc., some of which may be worth pursuing.

First, internet radio broadcasts can be either a play list, an actual radio broadcast, or a combination of both. What I'm speaking of here is a stand alone appliance for tuning to an online radio station with its' own call signstation designation, just like traditional radio.

Radios such as these will cost anywhere from about $100.00-$300.00 depending on the factors discussed below. These receivers acquire their signal via antenna, Ethernet or wifi, depending on your preference, although wifi probably lends the most versatility, when connected via your router.

They come with a variety of featurescapabilities. When connecting without a computer refer to the manual which should be included for setup instructions. Access is through a server which you log onto, enter your model numbercode which configures the receiver. Depending on what software your radio is based will determine the ease of acquiring streams(broadcasts).

The tricky part has to do with the software upon which radios are based. Although there are a number of very good U.S. alternatives, I would recommend those which are Reciva based out of the U.K., and marketed here. This company is sometimes referred to as the Microsoft of the internet radio business in terms of dominance, and have access to some 16,000+ feeds.

Through their web portal, you can register and customize the stations appearing on your radios' dial through my stations. Most reputable servers will enable access to thousands of broadcasts in their database. The ability of adding URLs not in their database is another desirable capability to consider when making your choice. That's it, as far as the basic procedure. Additional aspects to consider include Sound quality, Network connectivity, and Extras which may offer enhanced versatility.

Sound quality Whether the stream is 32k mono, or 128k stereo plays a large part in terms of the overall enjoyment experience, especially when playing music stored on a local file server(home or office computer). This is coupled with speaker response, in terms of dynamic range, highs and lows for overall sound presence.

Network connectivity, meaning the time from powering on and hearing music can vary widely from 4sec to 25sec. Broken connections can be a recurring problem. External antennas, and ethernet ports can help in these cases.

Extras items to look for would be direct 120v inputs(US only), or if you travel abroad, transformer powered. Is radio battery operated for portability Can you record stations easily Does it have a headphone jack(audio out), audio inaux(mp3 player), remote control, alarm clock, FM tuner, dual speakers, etc.

Radio broadcasting is the use of radio technology. The first structured radio broadcast took place in the 1920s and currently there are numerous radio stations broadcasting all over the planet by means of various types of transmission. Radio broadcast equipment from transmitters, receivers to antennas, are readily obtainable, however with the release fresh criterion for transmission including DAB Digital Radio and DRM, new equipment is required. Nevertheless AM as well as FM with its RDS ability are still the most extensively used. VHF FM is the most commonly used mode of radio broadcasting especially in those areas of the world where the population is relatively high. Its bandwidth makes it possible to broadcast high quality transmissions, stereo, and other services such as RDS.

Radio broadcasting is an audio broadcasting service, using radio waves, a form an electromagnetic radiation to broadcast from a transmitter to a receiving antenna. Stations are connected to radio networks to transmit common programming. However, radio broadcasting has now been overshadowed by internet-distributed radio, but there are still quite a few stations that broadcast on shortwave bandwidth using AM technology that can be received over thousands of miles. These broadcasts are very susceptible to atmospheric conditions and solar activity.

An Internet service provider (ISP) offers its customers access to the Internet by using a data transmission technology suitable for providing Internet Protocol Paradigm, such as dial-up, DSL, cable modem, wireless or committed high-speed connection. ISPs also provide Internet e-mail accounts to users, which permits them to correspond with each other by transmitting and receiving electronic messages through their ISP's servers. Wireless service by ISP backbone via satellite is a revolutionary innovation for entrepreneurs around the world who are engrossed in expanding the scope of their LAN - Local Area Networks, cost effectively. Whether it is to provide service for internet cafes, businesses, or individual users, this rapidly emerging technology supplies high-speed communication services even to the remote areas of the world without the requirement and expenditure of installing cables or telephone lines.

ISP backbone via satellite service is established when Wi-Fi, or WIMAX technology is joined with satellite backbone connectivity to offer video streaming, IPTV, internet access and video conferencing over a wireless network. Satellite TV broadcasting first began transmitting in the 1990s when, dishes were costly metal components that took large amounts of space. During this time, only the most avid TV fans went through all the trouble and expense of getting their own dish. Satellite TV broadcasting is delivered by the means of communication satellites and received by a satellite dish or a set-top box. It provides an extensive variety of channels and services to regions that are not serviced by terrestrial or cable providers.

 Internet radio is better than ever. I'm talking here about the technology for listening to online radio as well as the programming. Nowadays you can buy excellent standalone devices that look and work like regular table radios or clock radios, but instead of (or in addition to) playing broadcasts sent over the air, they play streaming radio from the Internet. You don't even need a computer in order to use them, although you do need a wireless Internet connection. Here are 5 good reasons to get an Internet radio now 1. The newest devices work almost identically to the regular radio sets that everyone is familiar with. Turn it on, select a station, and enjoy the music (or talk) of your choice. Sound quality these days is great, too. 2. Station selection! My Internet radio device (an Aluratek) has more than 13,000 stations from all over the world, of every imaginable format, programmed into it. I'll never run out of new places and music to explore. Nor will I have to be stuck listening to the same dozen local, over-the-air stations. 3. Take your hometown with you. If you do happen to love one of your local stations -- one that carries your hometown sports team's games, for instance -- there's no need to give it up just because you're moving across the country or the world. You can continue tuning in to it no matter where life takes you. 4. Study foreign languages by listening to them. Sure, in the U.S. now, it's not hard to find an over-the-air station broadcasting in Spanish. But what about Icelandic Or Indonesian One of the best ways to begin learning a new language is to absorb its sound, its rhythms. An Internet radio makes this easy. 5. Enjoy broadcasts only available online. In addition to regular stations that happen to stream their programming, you can hear thousands of stations that are Internet-only. They're wonderfully specialized, as well. I've discovered an all-didgeridoo station, one that offers round-the-clock birdcalls, and another that plays songs especially for recovering alcoholics! I've given you 5 good reasons to buy -- or be gifted with! -- an Internet radio. How many more will you discover Want to know more

Because of these new advances in technology and the availability of sites such as BlogTalkRadio, Speaker.com and uBroadcast, it's now easy, affordable and lucrative to start and run your on web radio station. I can think of many, many reasons why someone would want to start their own online radio station as their primary home based business. However, I'll give you just 5 below which I'm sure will get you thinking.

1. Though starting an online radio station of your own CAN require costly materials such as microphones, mixers, headphones, a station website and server space, there are ways you can eliminate all of these costs and materials. By creating your own online radio show with BlogTalkRadio.com or a comparable platform, you can have your web radio station up and running and earning you money within a matter of hours for free.

2. Once you have your own radio show, celebrities and the rich and famous will tend to seek YOU out! When you're a host of your own radio show, you'll be able to invite all kinds of interesting and well-known people to be on your show. Steve Harrison has a publication RTIR (Radio and TV Interview Report) that you can get signed up for at his web site, and he'll send you contact information on how to get famous guests and writers on your internet radio show.

3. People buy products that are endorsed by the famous and who know famous people! So, imagine that your doing your radio show on the net; You cut for a short commercial break. The music fades out and a wonderful commercial plugs your new ebook, your service, and your name. And voila! Your bank account grows. Because you can utilize celebrity endorsements, you now have greater credibility to sell your products or services on your own radio show.

4. With your own radio show you can use affiliates ads to get companies to send you cheques. It works like this You join an affiliate program and place banner ads on your website where your radio show is broadcast from. The banners earn you money whenever they're clicked or when the products sell. The affiliate company tracks the click-through from your site by a code put into cookies, and you are mailed a cheque for your commission on the sales. You can also promote affiliate products on your show, giving you an additional way to promote the product and increase your sales.

5. The big money will eventually come from advertising. Now you can, as they say, do the math yourself. If you were on normal radio, it might cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars to find and develop relationships with advertisers, and then create the ads for them. But, by being on the internet, blogging, my-space, and through other PR techniques, you got a good amount of listeners and advertisers will seek you out. And, when you do decide to approach companies with an advertising program proposal, all those listeners you've accumulated will help you impress your prospective advertiser.

So let's look at some numbers. We'll assume for this example that your show is one hour long. Now you're not talking for the whole hour, you're playing music and ads and news pieces in between talking segments. That's where more money comes in for you. You can sell your advertising time for a few dollars. One 60 second spot on one show on the Radio Internet Broadcast Network (RIBN) nationally costs over $1400.00.

So let's say you decide to sell your ad time at RIBN (Radio Internet Broadcast Network) for $600.00 a minute. RIBN puts the ad in for you and you get it all produced with little effort on your part other that finding some advertisers and talking on your show. RIBN gives you 10 minutes for your own ad time on your show. Other companies have other offers and charge more for their show time on the net (some even charge as much as $10,000.00 a show). So to add up your 10 minutes at your price per spot the total is $6,000.00 a show! Now last time I checked there are 52 weeks in a year. 52 times $6,000.00 equals

That's $312,000.00 a year!

So you see, there are actually hundreds of thousands of reasons to start your own internet radio station-)

If you take your internet radio business seriously, and if you enjoy music, talking and learning, there could be an amazing future for you in this business. And if you would like more details on the specifics of starting your own internet radio station, I recommend you read Your Internet Radio Station.

One of the greatest, if not the greatest, inventions of our lifetime is the Internet. It is a way to bring together millions of people from across the world to connect and share information. The Internet offers the user social networking, file sharing, music, and a plethora of information about every subject you want to know about. Radio stations have had to re-adapt the way they operate since the invention and technology of the Internet. Traditional radio has had a long history and now Internet radio is the current story being written. The history of radio online dates back less than twenty years and is considered modern history.

Online radio stations were first broadcast in the early 1990s and did not take off right away. The stations, or websites, had to invent themselves and be presented to reach their target audience. Some radio stations were streaming broadcasts of music, talk shows, and some Internet radio is also considered to be a music library of songs found online. Unlike traditional radio, online radio can be accessed anywhere in the world, and in turn anyone in the world can listen to music from another city, state, country, or continent.

Originally, the Internet was a medium for communication, education, and government purposes. As the popularity of the World Wide Web grew, Congress approved the Internet to be used for commercial purposes. The first radio program to be broadcast online was in 1993, and it was a talk show about computers and the Internet. A year later, the music industry would start to utilize the medium. The Rolling Stones broadcast their concert live on the Internet. After that, radio stations followed their act and started to stream their shows online.

As the music hype started to spread via the Internet, music file sharing and downloading spread like wild fire. There were a lot of controversies from artists and listeners because the music industry took a hit from decreased record sales and royalties. It was not until 1998 that President Bill Clinton signed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act which included laws to protect musicians and copyrighted material. This means that Internet radio stations have to also pay royalties for music. This also meant that music found online was not free and had to be paid for.

By the late 90s, there were thousands, and still are, of Internet Radio programs. Radio stations online stream live talk show programs and music stations. There are sites that are genre specific, play a mix of different music, and other that play artists that are unsigned by record labels. Having Internet radio has changed the culture and way that people listen to and find music. Bands can gain popularity through the Internet. It is easier to be heard and get heard.

Internet Radio has seen an ever-increasing trend since its inception. Given the growth rate of Internet usage all over the world, there are enough reasons for Internet radio broadcasters to pull up their socks. Particularly in the US, the number of Internet radio listeners has increased significantly. A simple question that often comes to mind is the reason behind this popularity of Internet radio.

I should say there are not one but multiple reasons that actually contribute to its popularity. The nature of content is one of the prime attractions of any Internet radio station. Firstly, most Internet radio stations are free from corporate influence and the broadcasts are actually decided by the broadcasters personal choice. Also, the variety of music genres those are available on the Internet radio is unmatched and would beat the AM FM radios stations hands down. Besides the Internet radio has a wonderful pricing structure, that's always better than any other entertainment in the world, because it's FREE. Yes, the listeners don't need to pay a dime to listen to the Internet radio of their choice. In addition, the ease of listening is also incomparable. You can listen to the Internet radio even when you are at work. All you need is a computer with Internet connection and a set of speakers and you can log on to favorite station.

While the difference between an Internet radio station and a terrestrial radio channel (AM FM) can be simplistically attributed to their medium of transmission, - one is served on the airwaves and the other on the Internet. Ask a regular listener and they will tell you the truth. Internet radio stations are more open to embrace new upcoming artists and the variety of music served is much wider. While the terrestrial channels are sort of restricted to the top chartbusters, Internet radios actually help unknown faces to make it to the top of the chart. It works as a cradle for the newborn artists or bands and many of them have shot to success and signed record contracts after they were wired on some Internet radio channel. The inherent nature of the Internet is applicable even in this case and Internet radio actually levels out the playing field between the famous and yet to be famous artists. It gives you, as a listener, the opportunity to listen to music that you would have never heard if not for this channel and it also gives the opportunity to your favorite local band to reach out to the global audience.

In spite of the fact that Internet radio has an ever-increasing listener base and is also very effective in promoting new artists and albums, Internet radio broadcasters are not really welcomed by the recording industry. Internet broadcasters need to pay Royalty for the music they play while the recording industry offers terrestrial radio channels to play those for free - reason They consider terrestrial radio as a medium of promotion but not Internet radio. A misconception about Internet radio is that they give away music for free, which is absolutely wrong. Internet radio broadcasters are as good as any other terrestrial radio channels and in no way do they promote distribution of music for free.

Internet radio has actually flourished to great extent; however, the irony is the growth has only been in terms of listeners and not really in terms of money. Vast majority of broadcasters actually pay from their pocket to bear the expenses (royalty payments, bandwidth etc) - profit is a far cry. The major portion of Internet broadcasters are made up of hobbyists who are getting licensed and infrastructure through larger Internet radio stations or broadcasting companies at relatively affordable rates. Otherwise it would have been almost impossible for most broadcasters to bear the cost individually.

It is necessary for the Internet radio industry to take a more constructive and professional approach towards monetizing and generating revenues through the medium. While it is highly appreciated that most Internet radio broadcasters emphasize the happiness of sharing their choice of music with thousand of listeners who tune in as the price for their hard work, it is going to be a survival issue for the channels in near future if they do not start generating revenue at this stage. Also companies are increasingly becoming conscious about the power of this medium and are often willing to advertise with the popular Internet radio stations. As an Internet broadcaster, it is high time that you pick on these available opportunities and add that $ilver sheen to your broadcasting happiness.

This article is written by Ray Smith, a marketing expert with years of experience in different industries and specialized knowledge on SEO and Internet marketing. Internet Radio

Radio automation software is the perfect solution for any kind of professional radio programming be it for radio itself or background music for any kind of public venue. Radio automation software can be used for all manner of radio automation and engineering. RadioBOSS is one such program, but unlike similar applications, it costs relatively little. It has all of the features that radio DJs need. Combining a user-friendly interface with extremely reliable and helpful technical support, users of this software can begin broadcasting immediately, as soon as they have installed the software. No large learning curves are needed.

RadioBOSS is perfect for creating background music in places such as shops, restaurants, bars and clubs. The software makes everything easier by taking all of the work off your hands, allowing you to tend to more important parts of your daily routine. With RadioBOSS, it is fast and simple to create background music playlists for your business. Once you have configured your background music preferences, you can leave the software running unattended for as long as you want. It is easy to operate thanks to its straightforward and user-friendly interface. The program is designed with saving you time in mind.

Since RadioBOSS is designed to automate all radio playback, stability is a very important factor. RadioBOSS provides a particularly stable player component which allows users to have complete control over when and how music playlists will be run. An audio converter is also included, allowing you to run all of your audio files without any compatibility issues to worry about. Another component included with this radio automation software is the music database, a straightforward application which allows you to fully manage, track and annotate your entire audio collection. There is also a set of playlist templates included as well as a playlist generator.

The main component of RadioBOSS is the player application. This allows you to run and edit all of your playlists and set schedules when you want them to be run. The file converter supports a wide variety of formats including MP4, WAV, WMA, OGG and Audio CD. You can also configure the software to play any advertising tracks or jingles at specified intervals, complete with an automatic volume increase. You can also use online streaming audio in your playlists. The player also provides some useful extra features which allow you to customize your audio. These include various audio effects such as controls for altering reverb, echo, tempo, pitch and flanger. A 12 band equalizer is included to further let you change the way your audio sounds. The software is also compatible with multichannel audio cards.

RadioBOSS also provides a playlist generator which can be used to generate playlists of specified durations automatically from your audio collection. The music database component is where you can organize your entire audio collection. You can also use it to filter and tag audio files of any format.