Italian Internet Radio Stations

Finding Italian Internet Radio Stations

Directories

Numerous sites have compiled lists of Italian radio stations with an online presence. While there is certainly duplication between lists, taken as a whole, these sites provide a comprehensive directory of Italian Internet radio stations:

• RomaVera lists available stations by region. The site includes links to the stations' websites along with direct links to the sites' feeds for quick listening.
• Web-Radio offers a menu of around 20 online radio stations straight from Italy. Formats include everything from easy listening to religious programming.
• SHOUTcast includes some Italian stations in its world music section. SHOUTcast includes more information in their listings than many other sites, including song currently playing, maximum listener capacity of the station, and the quality of the stream.
• Wikipedia users have created a list of streaming Italian radio stations. However, there is no information provided about any of the stations.
• Listenlive.eu lists online radio stations throughout Europe, including Italy.
• The Great Yarmouth Radio Club features an online Italian radio station list, with links to the stations' websites and live feeds.
• Florida International University has created a list of online news and radio from Italy to accompany a study abroad program.
• ItalianSinfonia.com includes the usual Italian radio stations, and also features several international stations exclusively playing Italian music. Descriptions are available for each station, and a "date last verified" listing lets you know how reliable a particular station may be.
• If you're not interested in music, radiotime offers a list of Italian talk radio stations online.
• A unique feature of the Multilingual Books' list is three Swiss stations with Italian programming.

Online Radio Services

A few online radio services also include Italian Internet radio stations.

• Yahoo! Musica Italia offers the same service as Yahoo! Music, although you're just as likely to find songs from Shakira as you are to hear authentic Italian sounds. Even if you don't speak Italian, the options are easy to decipher, and your standard Yahoo ID will provide access to the service.
• international listings for stations featuring a mix of world music, or search for "Italian" to find over a dozen focused stations, including the editor's pick, Musica italiana. The included stations offer everything from dance hits to traditional folk tunes to Christmas songs.
• You may also want to sample the world music sections of your favorite free online music radio stations.

Online Listening Tips

• A high-speed connection is essential for smooth online radio listening.
• No special equipment is needed to listen to international radio. The technologies used to access audio feeds are universal. You will need to make sure the stations you want to listen to are compatible with your computer's media program.
• Listening to international news reports can provide an interesting perspective on the day's events.
• For students of the language, online Italian radio provides a great free resource for practicing your listening comprehension skills.
• However, you don't have to understand the language to appreciate the music.
• If you regularly use a specific site to access online radio, consider supporting its work through a donation or purchase of a paid membership.
• Listening to free music online can be a great way to sample new artists and songs you might not otherwise discover.