Internet radio

Internet radio is the provision of radio broadcast content over the Internet (see streaming). Basically, the digitized sound files of the broadcasts can be accessed and played using widely available software such as Windows Media Player or RealPlayer. Internet radio began in the mid-1990s, and today an increasing number of broadcast stations are offering their programming in this form, allowing them to reach audiences far beyond the reach of their signal. Some stations stream live (during the actual broadcast), while others make programs available for download. (For auto-matic downloading of broadcasts, see podcasting). There are also “radio stations” that provide their content only via the Internet. Internet radio should not be confused with satellite or cable radio, which carry conventional radio sig-nals in real time.

For the user, Internet radio expands the selection of stations available from a few dozen over the air to hun-dreds or thousands. Potentially this allows for the support of specialized stations that have been struggling for audi-ences in traditional markets—examples might be stations broadcasting jazz or alternative music, political advocacy, or programming in less widely spoken languages.

Of course there still remains the question of how com-mercial Internet radio can support itself. Many on-air sta-tions simply include their advertising in the Internet stream (although this can be sometimes ineffective if the ad refers solely to a local business). Some stations sell subscriptions or charge a fee for each program.

Regular radio stations must pay royalties to performers whose music is played on the air. Until recently, such fees have been minimal (or even ignored) for Internet radio. A major issue arose in 2007 when the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board approved a steep increase in the royalties for music on Internet radio. Many smaller Internet radio stations have protested that the increased fees would put them out of business as well as hurting many independent perform-ers who depend on this medium to get their work heard. However, a number of stations have been able to negotiate reductions or caps on these fees on an ad hoc basis.