How to start an online radio?

How Can I start my own radio on the internet?

If you have reached this page, it means you are looking into starting your own radio station on the internet. Good news is that it is very easy to start your very own online radio station from the comfort of your home. It only takes a few steps and you could be managing your own station - from scheduling programs, to taking live calls on your show, playing favourite music and so on. However, you should be aware of the basics before you start your online radio station.

Pick a genre/theme for your radio station:

You must have an idea what your radio station will be about. It can be about sports, music, discussing movies, games, news, politics, and a variety of other topics. But its best to settle on one topic and start your radio station. If you plan on mixing too many themes into your radio, it would be a challenge to succeed in a competitive market. For this reason, whatever interests you the most - something you can talk about for hours, something that is your passion, should be the theme for your radio station.

Set a budget for online radio station:

Set your budget

There are many services out there which provide hosting or broadcasting. They differ in their features and streaming quality. For example how many listeners can you have concurrently - it differs based on the plan you purchase. For this reason, first decide your budget - then go out looking for the service/company that suits you the best.
You can start your radio for a few bucks a month to over hundred dollars a month. But if you are just starting out or experimenting, you should start small. If your radio station takes off (there are tips and tricks available on that) you can always purchase better service.

Purchase Radio broadcasting service:

There are several companies for radio broadcasting out there that provide various packages. They all provide radio station hosting (of course!). Some of them will design a website for you; others will even design a downloadable app for phones and tablets. Some services will limit the number of listeners. You have to compare the features of each website and decide. (If you need suggestions, I would be more than happy to help . Leave a comment if interested.).

Set up a Studio (at home or any peaceful place):

Don't need much High tech
radio equipment

This is the best part about setting up your own radio station. It can be done anywhere. All you really need is a computer, and a microphone. It would be ideal to spent some money on a good microphone. If you cannot deliver good sound to your listeners, very few will return (unless they are family of course!).

If you are planning to start a 24 hours radio with several shows throughout the day, you might be inviting guests (or your team members); therefore you should set up your radio station at a place where you can easily bring guests.

Check your copyright laws:

This one is particularly important if you are going to play music or content prepared by other people. If you are running entirely your own content, then its not much of a worry (though it is still best to be informed about country's laws).

Start Broadcasting:

Start broadcasting your own radio station

Final step of this guide is: start broadcasting your content via your online radio station.

I have kept this post very short and concise. If you are interested in learning more, choose another topic from FAQ.