In the past, creating a radio station took a lot of effort. But now, you can easily make your radio station. The podcasts are gaining popularity now and if you have a few basic types of equipment and a good internet connection, then you are good to go with your radio station. Here are some tips for creating such a radio station.
License
For setting up a traditional radio station, you need a license for sure. But many people are confused whether they need one for setting up an internet radio station. Whether you need a license for internet radio depends on what you are broadcasting, the place you are broadcasting from, and your listeners.
You should speak to someone who knows about it before you set up the internet radio. Generally, if you are broadcasting royalty-free music or a talk show just online, then you won’t need a license.
But if you are playing commercial music, then you need to protect yourself by getting a license; otherwise, you may be infringing on others’ copyright and the artists will not get their royalties.
As a rule of thumb, you can apply for a blanket or umbrella license for your online radio station. You need to pay for the license every year.
Equipment
You need a few basic types of equipment to start your radio station. You need a good microphone to start. You will find microphones that are made specifically for radio stations. These microphones have noise-canceling capabilities.
You will need a stand and a shock mount to hold your microphone. You will need headphones too. Make sure that the headphones are lightweight and foldable. Wireless headphones are also available. Apart from these, you will also need an audio interface, microphone processor, and broadcasting desk.
Broadcasting software
You need to have good broadcasting software like Winamp, BUTT, or Mixxx. This software can be used to connect to your station or help to broadcast live. You should do some research and find out about the best broadcasting software.
Web players
Listeners should get quick access to your radio. You should create a web player to embed to your site. You can customise it the way you want to.
Once you are done setting up, you should create a website for your radio station so that the listeners can find your radio station easily. The listeners will know about the programs you are broadcasting, and other things related to your radio.