Internet Radio - also known as E-Radio, Web-Radio, I-Radio, Net-Radio is an Audio listening service provided Online by Internet - Broadband connection. Internet Radio Service is usually accessible from anywhere in the world - for example American Radio Station can be heard in United Kingdom or Russian Federation if you like.
Online radio streaming was born in the 90s. WXYC is the first traditional radio station to announce broadcasting on the Internet.
Web radio stations are a good solution for new markets, delivering independent music that listeners can't hear on regular AM or FM radio. Therefore internet radio can be an alternative to terrestrial radio for people that want something else than corporate and standardized radio. The most common way to distribute Internet radio is via streaming technology using Audio Formats like - MP3, OGG Vorbis, Windows Media Audio, Real Audio,AACPlus. Popular Online Radio Broadcasting software for beginners is - Winamp Shoutcast, IceCast. More Advanced is Sam Broadcast and others.
In 1993, Carl Malamud launched Internet Talk Radio which was the "first computer-radio talk show, each week interviewing a computer expert.
In March 1996, Virgin Radio - London, became the first European radio station to broadcast its full program live on the internet.
In 2003, revenue from "online streaming music radio" was US$49 million. By 2006, that figure rose to US$500 million. Survey showed that, in the US, more than one in seven persons aged 25–54 years old listen to Internet online radio each week.
Online Radio Popularity
Online radio is gaining in popularity. The number of Americans that tune in weekly to online radio grew to 42 million, up from 33 million in 2008. Stuck in the 11 percent to 13 percent range for the past three years, weekly online listening now reaches 17 percent of the population, according to Arbitron and Edison Research.The number of monthly online listeners is 69 million or 27 percent of the population. And nearly half of the population, or 49 percent, an astounding 125 million, have ever listened to online radio.
Online Radio Popularity in UK
There is a gradual increase in the popularity of online radio in UK. Personalized online radio listeners in UK Oct ‘08 : 2.9 million, Personalized online radio listeners in UK Oct ‘09 : 4.5 million, Total number of online radio listeners in UK Oct ‘09 : 17.4 million (one-third of the country’s population).
