Internet Radio Definitions

by Linda Mackenzie

Here's the Types of Internet Radio defined to make it less confusing for listeners, advertisers and...Ahem...the industry...

1. Internet Radio Show is an individual radio show with one or more hosts, which can be aired live or pre-recorded, and is broadcasted either on a radio station or as a podcast from an individual website.
2. Internet Radio Station – A group of live and/or prerecorded scheduled programs that are grouped together and broadcast through a single channel of distribution.
3. Internet Radio Network – A 24/7 individual radio station which is linked to other radio networks and broadcasts a common program theme in a specific format (e.g., Music, Talk, News/Talk,) and is in syndication (contracted by another media channel for play) or simulcast (simultaneous broadcast on more than 1 media channel) or both on many channels of distribution.
4. Internet Radio Aggregator – A radio streaming service provider that provides streaming service for a single radio station or where 100’s or 1000’s of many different radio programs without one specific theme are grouped together to share streaming services as one station which may or may not be linked to other radio networks to syndicate/simulcast its stream.
5. Internet Radio Syndicator/Simulcaster – An individual broadcast entity that picks up, links and broadcasts many radio stations/radio networks streams to broadcast them on their site.
6. On Demand Radio Archive – An individual Internet Radio Show or an individual radio program from a Radio Station/ Radio Network which has been archived and made available for listening at any time directly from their specific website.
7. On Demand Radio Download - An individual Internet Radio Show or an individual radio program from a Radio Station/ Radio Network which can be downloaded to their computer to be made available for listening at any time via one or more various formats (e.g., .mp3, podcast, ITunes format, RSS feed, mobile).
8. Podcast Aggregator - A podcast streaming service provider that provides streaming service for 100’s or 1000’s of many different podcast program providers without one specific theme which are grouped together to share streaming services.