How to Broadcast Radio Audio on the Internet

Internet radio has proven to be the great equalizer in the world of radio broadcasting. Unlike terrestrial radio, which is tightly formatted and has only so many time slots for aspiring broadcasters to get themselves heard, the possibilities of Web radio are unlimited. No FCC rules to follow, greater freedom of speech and choosing your own music are just some of webcasting's many advantages.

Anyone can start their own Internet radio show and attract a loyal fan base. Some successful webcasters have more listeners than terrestrial radio counterparts. Most of them started with nothing more than a computer, a music library, a microphone and a unique show idea.

Things You'll Need
Microphone
Headphones
Music/sound effects library

Instructions
1.Have a clearly-defined schedule for your show. Decide whether it will be a live daily broadcast, weekly, bi-weekly, etc. Ask yourself how much time you really have to devote to doing the radio show as a hobby. In the beginning, you can't rely on making much — if any — income from your show.

2.Select and organize your music library. Most radio stations alphabetize the music library for easy access. If you plan on taking listener requests, you'll always want to be able to find a song fast and get it on the air. Organization is essential.

3.Download a digital audio recording and editing software program. There are plenty of serviceable audio programs that are available for free online. If you want more advanced features and functionality, invest in professional audio software such as ProTools. Some recommended software for home studio use are WavePad, Audacity, Adobe Audition and the free version of ProTools.

4.Before you go live without a net, do a few "practice" shows as if you were on the air. Record these on your computer or CD and listen back carefully. If you have a friend in the radio business, ask for their honest opinion and critique. Other broadcasters can give you lots of helpful tips on how to improve your show.

5.Find an online streaming host. Live365 and ubroadcast are popular providers mainly due to the fact that they can put your show in front of a large audience of potential listeners. You don't have to be a computer expert to use these services; the broadcast interface is very easy to use, making both strong choices for beginners. For the more advanced user who desires greater functionality, broadcasting software such as Pirate Radio is available for a reasonable price (around $40 as of September 2010).

6.Make older shows available in your show archives for listeners to download to their computer or iPod. This will generate extra income for you if you charge a small fee per download. You may also want to consider selling subscriptions to your archives if you have your own website; for a small monthly fee, listeners can download unlimited numbers of shows and get access to exclusive content that is not made available to the general public.

Tips & Warnings
1.You can always repeat your live shows anytime on your website's stream when you're not live on the air.

2.Expenses will vary depending on how many listeners you attract. You may find your show becoming so popular that a dedicated server will be required — these can run into the thousands of dollars.

3.In the early stages, you can create your own radio show without spending much money. Services such as iRadeo and SHOUTcast (combined with Winamp) can stream right from your blog, web site or social network.

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