How to Start Your Own Internet Radio Station with Live365.com

Starting an Internet Radio Station takes time and lots of know how, but Live365.com makes it easier and legal.

I started trying to do an Internet station with Winamp, but found it kept freezing my machine, no listeners, and illegal. So, I turned to Live365.com. What a lifesaver.

First, You go to live365.com and select a package. I chose a personal package with 7 days free. I started on the $14.95 plan, but if you do not pay for the year up front, then you are charged an extra $5. Not bad. You then set up the page with the station name, description, keywords, and things like that.

Then it is time to upload the music. Live365.com has a program (Studio365) that you put on your computer to make this easier. You choose the format, such as live, relay, or basic. Then you decide on the speed of songs. The higher the speed the less space you have on the server. I did 64 mp3 pro, but kept running out of space, so I went to 32 mp3 pro. It sounds great, and I have over 200 songs online. I did upgrade to a higher package which was $24.95 ($29.95 monthly), so that I could put music on more freely.

When you put your music online to be played it must be compliant with the DCMA Guidelines. These guidelines include such things as how often a song or artist can be played. All artists that are members of ASCAP, BMI, and the like are paid royalties through the fees that we pay. If a station owner goes through programs such as Wimamp , Icecast, or their own site then they will have to pay a minimum of $2000 in royalties. Most underground stations will never be hit with those fees, but my guess is if it becomes really popular than someone will eventually come to collect. By having it on Live365 you will be forced into compliance by the program, legal, and have an audience.

Since starting the station in May, there have been listeners in over 16 countries that have found us. I did a little marketing with a press release, and banner ads, but not much. Weekends are the slowest for the station, so I use that time to add new music.