Hosting an internet radio station: what you actually need

Starting an internet radio station is more approachable than it sounds, but a handful of concepts determine whether it runs smoothly. Here is the practical picture.

**The streaming engine** is the server that receives your audio and rebroadcasts it to listeners. Icecast and Shoutcast are the two long-standing options, and the choice mostly comes down to which your broadcasting software and players prefer.

**Bitrate is your quality-versus-reach dial.** For music, 128 kbps MP3 or AAC is the sweet spot — it sounds good on phones, earbuds and car stereos while staying light on mobile data. Talk radio is fine at 64 kbps. Higher bitrates sound marginally better but cost you listeners on limited data plans.

**Listener limits matter more than people expect.** Some hosts bill per listener, so a popular show can produce a shocking bill. Look for a host that bills for the stream rather than the audience.

**Auto-DJ keeps you on air.** When no one is broadcasting live, an auto-DJ plays a scheduled playlist so listeners never hear silence. This is what separates a station from a stream that only exists when you press record.

**Plan your bandwidth.** Your stream bitrate times your average concurrent listeners gives your bandwidth need. Audio is frugal — even a modest connection serves a lot of listeners.

**Think about the station site.** A small site with an embedded player, a schedule and a way to contact you rounds out the station. You can host it alongside the stream or on its own web hosting plan.