How to Find Radio Stations on the Internet

More and more radio stations are using RealAudio and similar technology to deliver their music over the Web. If your computer has a sound card, the RealPlayer program and a decent Internet connection, you might be able to listen to your favorite San Francisco radio station even if you now live in Arkansas.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer Speakers
• Internet Access
• Computers

1. Download the RealPlayer program from the RealAudio Web site if you don't already have it. Most radio broadcasts use this technology.
2. Check to see if the specific radio station you're looking for has a Web site. If the station is broadcasting over the Internet, click on the link to listen in real time.
3. If you're looking for a specific broadcast, such as an out-of-town ball game or a syndicated program, use a Web search engine like Google or Yahoo! to find the official Web site for the broadcast.
4. Find the book "Passport to Web Radio" in a bookstore or library for a comprehensive guide to radio stations around the world and how they broadcast over the Web.
5. Browse the Yahoo and RealAudio sites for lists of stations by location, format or call letters, including Internet-only stations.
6. Check periodically for new sites. If the radio station you want to hear isn't broadcasting over the Internet yet, it probably will be soon.

Tips & Warnings

• Yahoo categorizes sites by genre. Click on a link to a genre and get a link to radio stations.
• Internet-only stations offer a chance to hear music that doesn't get played on commercial radio stations.