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Scott Lindsay asked:


Is satellite radio the future or just a stepping-stone to something different?

Satellite radio is popular because it airs multiple channels commercial free and is often standard in many new car purchases (with a temporary paid subscription).

HD radio is another method used by terrestrial radio stations to improve their listenership, but very few listeners are spending the money to purchase an HD receiver, which remains largely unavailable.

Let me see if this makes sense. Satellite radio has been problematic because there are still enough people who enjoy FREE radio. Many can tolerate the commercial content in order to hear music they like at no cost.

Many on air hosts who have had satellite radio shows have ultimately sought release from their contract because the total number of listeners remains much smaller than a traditional terrestrial radio network.

Audio streaming as pertains to Internet broadcasting may be the future especially in urban areas where wi-fi zones are prominent.

There are those that argue the point, but one has to wonder if a mechanism that would allow individuals to receive audio streaming in their automobiles might render both satellite and HD radio an obsolete method of audio delivery.

Already consumers can find portable Internet radio players that will record programs for later playback. Again, there are those that indicate any standard mp3 player could do something similar, but in a world where Internet radio could be played anywhere the possibilities for listening choices expands infinitely.

For instance not every audio interest is represented via satellite or HD radio, but listeners have a virtually unlimited choice of audio streams via the Internet.

Home devices are already available that will retransmit an Internet audio stream via a home stereo. Users report enjoying the ability to listen to a program, personality or music they do not have the ability to hear any other way.

The potential for Internet radio is that it benefits existing radio stations as well as Internet audio streaming providers. If, for instance, a family is moving from one location to another, but they have an emotional connection to a regional radio station they can effectively take that station with them.

Most audio streaming providers will tell you they have listeners on a global scale. Because most Internet audio streams are available without a fee this type of audio stream is very similar to traditional radio. It is more commonly available and may be utilized more on an overall basis than satellite and HD radio combined.

People are fulfilling their audio needs through a variety of sources, but the hard times faced by HD and satellite radio may simply pave the way for the next generation of audio delivery.

Internet audio streaming may be a bit like traditional radio in one sense. In order to survive many of them need advertising revenue to keep the service free. This could come in the form of audio advertisements, but it can also come in visual ads on the website or by providing an affiliate link for listeners to purchase the music being played with a percentage of the sale going back to the audio stream provider.

No matter how you look at it the audio stream has to be paid for in some way and Internet providers are finding creative ways to do that as they attempt to make the future an act of the present.

Scott Lindsay asked:


There was a time when it was difficult to distribute audio effectively over the Internet because the software used for listening was hard to come by and hard drive space was limited.

Today Internet users typically have three or more devices that can decode and play audio streams via the Internet. Further software applications can even allow that download stream to be captured for replay.

Thousands of Internet only radio stations are available with thousands of additional broadcasters repeating their terrestrial signal via the Internet. Many broadcasters are venturing into the realm of Internet audio by lending their voices to Internet based radio stations and other audio streams.

The growth of audio streaming is a byproduct of consumer demand and advancements in technology.

As an online business using audio to guide your visitor through your website may be a great first step, but there are so many other uses for audio that may take into account visitors who may be visually challenged.

There are already devices to assist those with poor vision, but if you create pages with audio it can make an enormous impact on those who often feel forgotten.

The use of audio can be a benefit for those who work on a hectic schedule. It may be possible to listen to your presentation while they continue working in another window.

Audio can also be an important element in an increasingly mobile society. For those on the go, the ability to listen to audio may be of more assistance than attempting to read the small print on their cell phone or Blackberry.

An audio stream from a conscientious netrepreneur is likely to meet with the approval of many of your site visitors. Certainly they will have different reasons for having an interest in the audio stream, but the audio remains an important function in site marketing and customer convenience.

The growth of online marketing techniques can move audio streaming from a ‘nice add on’ to a desired form of communication with your prospects and customers. Since it is very easy for consumers to tap into an audio stream you have a unique opportunity to brand your business in ways previously unavailable.

Where once there was debate over the use of graphics on a website now the debate may be centered around the use of audio on a website. Today you find very few websites without graphics. I believe the same will ultimately be true of audio streaming.

Scott Lindsay asked:


Everyday someone is developing new audio streaming opportunities for consumers. From the hobbyists to communications veterans the Internet is a new media playground.

Many of these Internet based audio streams are searching for voice over professionals to manage the custom identifiers for the station or podcast.

Software that allows the assembly of multiple audio elements is making is possible for unprecedented growth in audio streaming in an online environment.

What’s more these podcasters and online radio station owners are sharing their tips and tricks with each other allowing for a fairly uniform growth in what was once an industry reserved for the elite in broadcasting.

Because audio streamers are relying on outside talent the quality of the audio continues to improve and are sounding more professional with each passing month.

In England there are many hospital owned and operated radio stations. Some of them are also operating as audio streams on line. The premise is to create a professional sounding station that can entertain and inform hospital patients, visitors and staff. These are typically non-profit stations and are finding tremendous support in the communities they serve.

In some cases these stations might play a particular style of music during certain times of the day and they might have a program geared specifically for children. Many report that these stations are working to improve morale and making the stay in the hospital a bit more tolerable.

In some cases they can take those audio streams home with them while listening online.

If you want hip-hop, easy listening, jazz, bluegrass, polka, reggae, country, rock, talk or even down homes stories and recollections there is an audio stream that covers it. In fact this list is only a small sampling of the audio podcasts you can enjoy.

Certainly not all audio streams are created equally. Some rely on less fidelity to keep costs down and use microphones that may sound a bit like what you might hear while listening to a cell phone, but some streams are CD quality in sound with professionals manning the microphone, some who have spent many years behind a more traditional radio console.

Is it any wonder that this territory is finding favor with businesses who either have a message to share or are willing to invest in a site-wide network where you can listen to music while shopping and perhaps hear of specials that may be of interest.

Audio streams are being consistently integrated into the culture of the Internet in the same way video streaming has taken on a life of its own online.

You can work with a professional voice over talent to record a podcast that can help consumers understand a little bit more about your business and the hallmarks of what you can provide as a business owner.

These podcasts can draw from knowledge-based resources you may already have online. There are more and more people who would rather listen to a professional tell them more about a product than read from the screen. While you leave the text-based content on your website for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) you can also take that same content and allow it to make an impact in your audio streaming endeavors.