How to Set Up a Net Radio Station
Internet radio is a rapidly growing business, and setting up an Internet radio station is much easier than setting up an actual physical radio broadcaster. The good thing about Internet radio is that it doesn't use AM or FM bandwidth, and the stations are easy to set up and manage, even by an inexperienced person. If you have a passion for music that you want to share with the world, the business of Internet radio might be for you.
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Instructions
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Decide on the format for your radio station. For example, you may wish to start a talk radio station, or a music station. You can also sub-specialize within formats, so you could have a politics talk station, or an unsigned rock station. Think about what you want from your station. If you're passionate about one type of music or one topic, you can provide an enthusiastic, niche radio station, or if you want to hit a large audience, your station can be more general.
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Learn the law. Unfortunately, even as a small-fry, online radio station, you have to deal with copyright issues. To set up an online radio station, you either have to be prepared to pay out the nose, or be willing to work under an "umbrella" licenser. Basement Broadcast Network estimates a cost of at least $3,000 in royalties and fees for an independent small station per year. Alternatively, websites such as Live 365, SW Cast and Loud City allow you to set up a station and handle all of the legal aspects for you, at a fraction of the cost. These are umbrella licensers.
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Sign up with your desired website. Live 365 and Loud City allow you to do everything through their website, but SW Cast require you to have your own host provider for your stream (see Resources for more information). SW Cast specializes in the legal side of Internet radio, which is the biggest hurdle for the new user. Live 365 and Loud City have their own broadcasting software, which can be downloaded when you sign up for their service. Alternatively, you can use an independent program such as SHOUTcast as a broadcasting tool.
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Compile all of your desired tracks. This can be difficult for many people, because you need an exceptionally large track list to keep listeners interested. As soon as you start repeating songs, people are more inclined to turn off. Ideally, you should have enough songs to broadcast all day without repeating a track. If you're doing a talk radio show, ensure that you have sufficient topics and the ability to talk virtually nonstop for the length of your set.
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Market your station. This is much easier if you have a niche market, because people interested in that market won't have much of a choice in radio stations. Visit related forums, pay for ad space in relevant places, set up links where you can and start a website. People need to know what happens on your radio station, and what happens at different times of the day. If you want to be successful, think about other methods to draw a crowd, such as competitions.
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Start broadcasting. Although it may feel like you're just broadcasting to a few friends at first, as word spreads, with any luck you will start to get a group of regular listeners.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit music image by Valentin Mosichev from Fotolia.com
