Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with internet and radio

the difference it makes

four panels — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:29:22 -0800

Sort of looking for an Internet Radio Stream that plays kompakt pop/ambient kind of stuff. Thank you!

Why are there so many French internet radio stations?

Bugbread — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:25:25 -0800

Why are there so many French internet radio stations? On iTunes, they seem vastly disproportionate. Is there a legal reason, a historical reason, or something else?

Internet RadioStation in a Box?

er1c — Sat, 02 May 2009 05:48:49 -0800

Trying to find "internet radio station in a box". It is a audio CD set that includes sweeps, liners, and buildable station IDs. I had a bookmark for it until my laptop went up in flames, now I cant find the site to buy it from... Help?

Spotify & Internet Radio?

nam3d — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 05:23:35 -0800

I am a keen user of Spotify which I use religiously, I am also the proud owner of a Revo iBlik RadioStation which allows me to listen to thousands of internet radio stations. I'd like to figure out someway to listen to the music from Spotify on my radio station without any wires. One way I thought I could get around this is set up my own 'radio station' on my computer and stream it to my radio. What software (on the mac (10.5) would you reccomend me using to stream spotify, and is this at all possible?

Thanks.

To podcast or not to podcast?

frosty_hut — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:22:33 -0800

How to persuade a local radio arts and music station that they should podcast? I'm a newbie at a radio station. I host a music channel that's one of a couple of others the station offers online. So it's available on HD and also from their web site.

The host of one of the other online channels, Alexa, offers interviews with artists and local mover-shakers. From what I can tell, the managers would like the channel to take off but it's been slow going.

We recently heard from a listener who said she loved the idea of an arts conversation channel, and was particularly interested in an interview with a certain artist. She knew the interview was in that audio somewhere, but she didn't have time to listen to the channel for hours in order to find it. Meanwhile, there was no information on the main web site regarding what time the interview would be playing on the air (or online), so she became discouraged and didn't want to keep listening.

I thought this looked like a huge red flag. Currently there is no web content at all associated with the interview channel--it's just a clickable link, with no clue to content, times of interviews or music, etc. This is an on online channel, but there's no information about it online. It seems to me that podcasting would help enormously. A list of labeled links with the names of the artists would be easy to produce. And podcasts aren't brain surgery. People expect content on demand, they're familiar with the technology, and it's just a no brainer.

So I typed out a simple email in response to the listener's question, and asked everyone: If the listener can't find the interview, why not make it available as a podcast from the main web site?

Alexa replied with a lengthy defense of why Podcasts Are Bad. People will only stay for a minute if they see a podcast link, whereas she wants to draw people in for one thing, and keep them there for all the other stuff on the channel.

I can see why that's desirable, but I don't think podcasting would prevent that result. If a person who only wants the Hot Young Star interview leaves the site after listening to it, he wasn't going to stick around anyway. And in the meantime, you've still got your regular listeners who benefit from the added, easy to find content. Plus, you've added a hit to your page count. Once people who are searching for that famous person start finding our site, it can only swell page hits, which I know they're keeping track of.

I'm a newbie and a part-timer, and maybe Alexa thinks I'm a wet-behind-the-ears jerk. I still think this is a rational suggestion. Anyway, the fate of my own channel is at stake too. If everything we offer looks good to people, they're more likely to stick around long enough to click on my section of the site.

Any suggestions on how to spin this more effectively?

Radio is a sound salvation/Radio is cleaning up the nation

mippy — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 13:26:43 -0800

My housemate has an internet radio. I'm a former DXer who's not had chance to play about with frequencies since converting to DAB - any interesting world stations to recommend? I'm UK based by the way - am currently listening to celidh music on Radio Scotland to soothe my other half's cold. I'm interested in independent music (6Music/Resonance), talk radio (both factual and dramatic) and speak Spanish, but not quite well enough to follow the hispanic equivalent of Radio 4. There are so many stations (1264 in the UK alone, including Asda FM) so recommendations are good! Seems to be a lot of pirate starions on here too (if there can be such a thing in the days of the internet) so recommendations on these are good too.

Please recommend some 24/7 classical music internet radio streams that never feature Fred Child.

Your Time Machine Sucks — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:35:17 -0800

Please recommend some 24/7 classical music internet radio streams that never feature Fred Child. Not his fault, but his voice goes into my ear and takes a shortcut to the irrational anger center of my brain. I like to code while having some classical music on, and ideally some regional American voices occasionally describing what I just heard, but I don't really care for the generic US "cultured" media accent that sounds like a combination between a Californian with strange diction, a gram of soma, and a smiling baby. In the last couple of weeks I was listening to the WGBH HD radio stream, when he came on, at which point I switched to Minnesota Public Radio, which slightly later on ran a Fred Child segment, at which point I found another station, with the predictable outcome the next day. There seems to be some kind of broadcast franchise situation there which I'm guessing is NPR-related.

So, please recommend some classical music streams to me, best case scenario a 24/7 radio station with actual radio-voice-having DJs, US regional accents a plus. If the assertion that there are US regional accents or that someone would enjoy them makes you feel an exciting urge to speak you're branes, skip this one!

Thanks for your recommendations!

Best WiFi / Internet Radio

dance — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:03:27 -0800

As an English ex-pat, my fiancée really misses the BBC's Radio 4. We both do. Can anyone speak from experience about the best Internet/wifi radio for both listening live and the BBC's 'listen again' feature? I've done some Googling but there is lots conflicting information and I don't feel like the reviews I've found have been informative enough to make a purchase. Is there a Mefite who owns one and uses it for this purpose?

Good "discussion" style Internet radio stations?

humblepigeon — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 11:20:37 -0800

Recommendations for good "discussion" Internet speech radio stations? Like BBC Radio 4? Not talk radio. Got a nice new Internet radio a few days ago and like to listen to BBC Radio 4. Intelligent and educative. But for those times when The Archers is on, I'd like to flip stations. I found Radio Dublin Anna Livia, which sounds pretty good, and would like to find more like it, regardless of geographical area provided they're mostly English language.

Internet Comedy Radio

zzazazz — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:59:22 -0800

Any good internet radio stations that specialize in good stand up comedy? Stuff like Hicks, Carlin, Cosby and Pryor with a mix of good new stuff?

help me get to docking nirvana

rikatik — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:46:05 -0800

does the ultimate internet radio/ipod dock/streaming audio portable device exist? I'm looking all over for a device that I can't believe hasn't been made already. I want an audio device that will play music from my ipod, from internet radio, AM/FM/DAB+(XFM in US), my mp3s on network drive and have a clock and alarm. and have enough oomph to fill a bedroom or kitchen. Actually, I've described my laptop, but I want it to look like a docking system, and have a better sound than my laptop.

Home Stereo of the Future, revisted

rouftop — Mon, 05 May 2008 08:34:15 -0800

Looking for a home stereo setup that supports internet radio, traditional radio, CD's and MP3's without a computer in the middle. My wife and I want to buy a nice home stereo system that can handle both the old and the new. This earlier thread from 2005 asks very similar questions to what I'm looking for, but a lot can change in three years.

My wife enjoys listening to internet radio stations using iTunes, but she hates having to leave her computer on when she's just listening to music. She also has an iPod which she uses to listen to audiobooks while at the gym, but sometimes she wants to continue them at home without having to put on earphones. And of course we still have / buy CD's. (heck, sometimes my wife pulls out cassette tapes from high school!)

Ideally it'd also be able to handle surround sound and speakers in different rooms in the house.

Any suggestions?

How to hear the dodgers in Salem, OR

smithmac_99 — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:00:26 -0800

How do I listen to the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games in Salem, OR? I'm a transplanted dodger fan...I want to listen to my team, but I don't want to pay for it. Is there any way that I can get the dodgers radio network (KABC 790 AM in Los Angeles) or any other live broadcast of the games via the internet in Salem?

How do I set up an XP-Pro install to broadcast a streaming radio station to be listed in the global iTunes radio directory?

Roach — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:32:45 -0800

How do I set up an XP-Pro install to broadcast a streaming radio station to be listed in the global iTunes radio directory? This question is for a client, but since he has asked me I've become personally interested as well. The stream is currently being output in WMA format, and is accessible and successfully streams via the Windows Media plugin on a page that he controls and owns.

He would like to expand the reach of this station, which plays Spanish-language music of a particular genre.

I've searched AskMe and Google but I can't seem to find what I'm looking for.

Please note, I know how to add a radio station to the list so it appears on his machine. He would like it to be added to the global list. Also, portions of the daily stream are broadcast on XM & Sirius both, so this isn't a fly-by-night type of deal.

If the current URL or genre type would be useful, MeFi mail or email is in profile.

Thanks!

"...they don’t give you any choice 'cause they think that it's treason."

cusack — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 15:19:39 -0800

What would it take to be able to listen to any radio station in the country... on the internet... for free... whenever you wanted? I was thinking this is something that would have been solved online but I can't find / don't know where to look for it.

Specifically, I'm sick of getting "blacked out" of certain sporting events that are otherwise broadcast on the radio. If that station offers a stream, then it shuts it down for the duration of the broadcast because of whatever contractual arrangements it has with espn or the networks.

So I'm thinking that the same devil-may-care, can-do spirit that has "liberated" so much other copyright-protected material for sharing would have done the same for radio broadcasts. (I suppose this could apply to broadcast television signals as well...)

Also, how illegal would it be to have some sort of system in place that takes actual radio signals out of the air and relays them via the internet?

I'm imagining like a network of receivers all over the country, and then maybe I'd have an interface where I can zoom into a city or broadcast area and then just "turn a dial" so to speak, and see what I can hear...

So maybe there's the problem of needing actual hardware for this? Maybe this sort of device doesn't exist? Are there any other "virtual" ways this could/has be done?

Thanks all!

iTunes/internet radio help needed

smithmac_99 — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 20:22:13 -0800

Is it Possible to stream internet audio to my airport express? I'm running a shiny new 24" imac downstairs and I have an airport express base station upstairs plugged into my external speakers. I can stream anything I want from itunes, no problem. But what I really want to do is listen to live sporting events from radio stations who stream their broadcasts to the internet. Is this possible?

How long can I listen to The Archers (using mobile 'phone streaming media)?

timpollard — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:11:58 -0800

I've just changed mobile 'phone provider to T-Mobile's Web'n'walk Max, which allows me 'unlimited' web access (up to 3Gb/month which is their 'fair use' limit). So, this means I can now listen to Radio 4 online (at 20.7Kbps live, I'm informed by my PDA) - but how much radio can I listen to before I exceed my limit (bearing in mind I'll be wanting to do a bit of surfing etc. too)?

Put a record on. I wanna dance with my baby.

Glitter Ninja — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:54:28 -0800

Please give me tips on how to make my aircheck/audition for a medium-size online radio station more apIaling. I used to DJ for a station called Radio-KoL. I left for quite a while due to life-things, and not having my own computer, and not being able to take a regular shift. They've expressed interest in having me bac, and a shift has just recently opened up that I can take, but I have to have my audition/aircheck in by Friday. The one tip I've gotten is "Don't read," but I'm out of practice with improve, and having a hard time making myself sound non-scripted.

In general, what can I do to make my aircheck more appealing to the people in charge of hiring? I have 3 minutes to make myself sound good (20 seconds or less of which should be music.) Any good ideas for small segments and things the other DJs won't be doing?

Some back info on the station:

It's a 24 hour station (I'd be taking a 2-4 AM shift a couple of days a week) with about 35 DJs.

It's associated with an online game, but in my aircheck I would like to avoid staged contests for in-game items, and lean more towards interested segments or schticks.

Please, Hive Mind- help me get my late night gig back! All your tips are greatly appreciated.

Custom office radio stream?

Chris4d — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 09:30:11 -0800

Custom office radio stream? I work in a small architecture office, pretty laid back environment, and the hip kids all have iTunes installed for music while we work (on headphones). We share our libraries, but it would be cool to stream the same music feed to everyone. I'm not sure if or how I could do that. I've fiddled with last.fm, but I'm not really familiar with the options when it comes to internet radio. Is there a service or software that does this? A free service would be awesome.

What should I listen to?

serazin — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 10:48:31 -0800

I spend most of my work day listening to interview and essay type radio shows on the internet. My favorite, of course, is This American Life. I also love Fresh Air . I've checked out Radio 4 a little, and sometimes I listen to Democracy Now and even more rarely Air America. Keeping in mind what I already like, what else would you recommend I listen to? (It's probably obvious that I have lefty politics and I love moving or creative storytelling. I hate call in shows)

Also, any specific show recommendations on the BBC or Air America are welcome.

World Service

Frasermoo — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 06:38:47 -0800

I am in Canada, but want a website to think I am in the UK. Can I do this? Living in Toronto now, I really miss my favourite radio station BBC Radio 5, but most of the content is blocked because I am outside the UK.

I'd like to make the site think I am in the UK.

Interesting Ads?

awesomebrad — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 08:22:56 -0800

Know of any interesting advertisements? For one of my classes, I must analyze a current print, radio, television, or internet advertisement. Since I'm going to be spending a good deal of time with whatever ad I choose to analyze, I'd like to make sure that it's at least interesting.

Although not ideal, an ad campaign may be acceptable. Something that stands alone is, however, preferable.

Bonus points if it's available online, more bonus points if you link me to what you suggest.

So, what are the most innovative, eye catching, different, or just plain interesting ads you've come across recently?

Internet radio streaming of full albums etc.

empedia — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 07:26:03 -0800

Short and simple. I'm interested in finding out if there are any internet radio stations which broadcast full albums. Alternatively any free/pay services which allow you to listen online to full albums rather than just individual tracks. I'm not at this point interested in buying music just listening to it. Please bear in mind I am in the UK and services such as Rhapsody etc. aren't available here AFAIK. Many thanks.

Streaming Japanese Radio

tirade — Sun, 05 Dec 2004 20:31:24 -0800

I'm looking for streaming Japanese-language talk or news radio. Specifically, I'm looking for a live feed rather than short clips (the latter of which I seem to find tons of), and preferably low-bandwidth audio-only rather than video. I don't read Japanese, so searching is difficult.

What's the best software for streaming live radio on the internet?

darainwa — Sun, 22 Aug 2004 19:30:24 -0800

What is the best software for a radio station to use when streaming live audio via the internet? Similarly, what piece of software do most individuals use to listen to webcasts? [MI] Background: After receiving some negative feedback about RealAudio/RealPlayer, the radio station I am currently affiliated with has been discussing a move from our current Real-based setup to some other format. While I am not a fan of Real myself, I was under the impression that a majority of people used RealPlayer to stream audio over the internet.

Personally, I would like to go with whatever software will allow the largest number of users to listen to our stream. Further, our RealAudio setup costs us nothing to maintain, as our bandwidth, the RealAudio encoding software, and support of the computer doing the RealAudio encoding is provided to the station free of charge. Being a non-commercial station (read: quite poor) any alternative to Real would need to be inexpensive, and rather low maintenance.

That said, is there another (low cost) encoding format that would allow a greater number of listeners to hear our broadcast via the internet?