How To Start An Internet Radio Station

From LoveToKnow Music

Starting your own Internet radio station is relatively pain free and inexpensive – with a credit card and dream, you can probably get started tonight. Kudos for finally deciding to take matters into your own hand.

How to start an internet radio station

Live365

Live365 is the top Internet radio network of stations, and they offer easy opportunities to become part of their music community. For a low monthly fee, you get 100 MB of space for your MP3s and a fully-featured control panel to manage all aspects of your station. You simply upload your songs and create your playlists. Listeners can then tune-in at their leisure.

The next step up is the Premium Package which gives you the capacity to do live broadcasts. From here, you can add a variety of options, such as more space, the ability for more people to listen to your broadcast at one time, and replays of live broadcasts.

If you think you might want your radio station to generate some cash, Live365 offers a professional package that lets you create your own station identity and launch a radio station directly from your own website. Prices for this vary on the features you require.

The best thing about Live365 is that your monthly fee includes royalty payments, something that can be extremely complicated for a novice. Also, you are never locked into any package you select at Live365, so you can make decisions about where you want your station to go as you become more familiar with the world of radio.

SHOUTcast

SHOUTcast provides a means of starting an online radio station as well, free of charge, though the methods are a little more involved that Live365. First, you will have to either run your own server, as per their direction, or have someone run it for you. Then, you will need to download their Winamp software. Their website can guide you through the process. This is free, but you will need to be comfortable configuring your computer to their guidelines, and you need to consider the question of royalties, should you want your station to be more than a hobby.

Free Broadcasting

You can skip all Live365 and SHOUTcast and broadcast directly from your home computer, with some cheap-to-free software and a microphone. Peer Cast provides free software for peer to peer audio streaming. The Helix Universal server, available through Real.com and Quicktime, is a free streaming server. Around $30 will get you Pirate Radio software, which lets you set up and broadcast your Internet radio station even with a dial-up connection.


WebFM

WebFM is an open content site, or "wiki", about Internet radio stations and podcasting. It includes tips, tricks and other tools for starting one's own Internet radio station. Also, there are discussion threads on each page, a feature that helps to foster a community for fellow DJs and podcasters to share ideas with each other.

More Information on How To Start an Internet Radio Station

Whatever method you choose, setting up an internet radio station can be made quick and inexpensive, and is attainable to all levels of computer skills. Check out the websites below to decide which method is right for you.

Hosting Providers

Music Licensing

Streaming Software

Community Resources

Related Music Links

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Comments

Hi Remi -

The links in the article will take you to some companies that allow you to set up your own radio station. Each has their own set of rules, so best to check them each out and see which one suits you best.

-- Contributed by: Hlmcdona

We are complete novices but 2would like to set up a free fm internet radio station. we will need your advise.Please assist.Thanks

-- Contributed by: REMI AIYEBOGAN

You're right, Patty. That is a problem. The reason that some of the online stations charge so much in the US is that online radio must pay performance rights royalties while "regular" radio stations do not (in the US). Getting a lot of listeners take a lot of promotion, but some online DJs have done it. One thing to consider is including ads in your show to offset the cost you have to pay.

-- Contributed by: Hlmcdona
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