What is web radio

A.� The Internet is the new platform for the world's top talk-show hosts and music DJs as thousands of radio stations migrate online everyday. Many of these broadcasters are traditional stations that also broadcast over the airwaves, however, an increasing number of them are Internet only stations. Unlike conventional radio, web radio isn't actually broadcasting at all; it works by delivering audio or video transmissions to your computer via what is called streaming technology over the Internet.

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Q.� How can I get access to a web radio station

A.� Many online radio or audio streams can be played using a range of easily downloadable software, such as RealAudio.com's RealPlayer and Apple.com's QuickTime, which are available free from the company websites. Downloading the software is a straightforward process where the user selects the location where the program will sit on their hard drive or desktop. Then by clicking start, the system will begin to download the software. Once the audio playing software is installed on your desktop you will be free to play whichever web radio station you choose. Depending on the speed of your computer's modem this process should take between five and fifteen minutes.

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Q.� How many web radio stations are currently broadcasting and how many users are tuning in

A.� The number of radio stations broadcasting on the web is believed to run into the tens of thousands, with more and more moving online everyday. Real.com, the company that produces the RealPlayer software, has a listing of 2,500 of the best web radio stations, while Broadcast.com, the company owned by Yahoo, has a listing of about 400. According the Internet Research Company Arbitron, about 100 new stations go online every month. Although there is no way of telling exactly how many people are logging into these stations, the latest market research suggests that about one third of the online community regularly tunes into a web radio station.

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Q.� Is there a wide selection of music available on the web

A.� Yes. Web radio is a best thing since MP3; it allows users to listen to a wide range of music without having the moral burden of violating any copyright laws as with MP3. Listeners can find out which stations are online by logging onto a listings website. Broadcast.com and Live365.com offer users lists of a wide range of web radio station offering everything from tunes to talk, from webcams to .

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Q.� Are all web stations merely online versions of normal broadcasts

A.� No. There are a growing number of radio stations that broadcast only on the Internet. The option of transmitting only on the Internet is hugely advantageous to the broadcaster, as they avoid the expense of purchasing a broadcast signal-radio consolidation, while still reaching millions of listeners. It is estimated that about 500 radio stations broadcast for the web only.

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Q.� What are the advantages of listening to radio over the Internet

A.� For the user, the greatest advantage of using web radio is that you can listen to a preferred type of music, and in many cases even a preferred song, as and when you feel like it. The barriers of short reception radius and muffled quality are virtually obliterated by the Internet. Many niche stations specialise in certain types of music and can be reached by anyone in any part of the world. There are also a growing number of stations that allow users to email requests for songs and choose what time they would like it to be played. The other advantage of web radio is that it allows more interactivity between users and broadcaster. Many web stations allow listeners to click through and purchase the songs as they are played on the station. One station called Radio.sonicnet offers listeners the chance to email-in their opinions on particular DJs, songs or artists, as well as chatting live to each other.

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By Christina Okoli