The Decline of Adult-Oriented Radio and the Rise of Internet Alternatives

In the dynamic landscape of broadcasting, radio has long been a staple medium for entertainment, information, and music discovery. However, recent trends indicate a noticeable shift in the programming focus of major radio stations, particularly giants like the BBC. The shift has seen a marked increase in content geared towards younger audiences, leaving a void for mature listeners who seek more adult-oriented programming. This gap, however, has paved the way for innovative solutions in the form of internet radio, with stations like Affinity Radio stepping up to fill the breach.

The Evolution of Radio Programming

Traditional radio has evolved significantly. The BBC and other prominent broadcasters have gradually tailored their programming to appeal to a younger demographic.  While this approach has been successful in attracting a new generation of radio fans, it has inadvertently alienated an older audience that once relied on these stations for their daily dose of music, talk shows, and cultural content.

The Emergence of Internet Radio

As mainstream radio pivots towards youth-oriented content, internet radio has emerged as a formidable alternative for adult listeners. The advent of the internet has democratized broadcasting, enabling a diverse range of stations to flourish without the constraints of traditional frequency limitations and geographical boundaries. Internet radio offers a plethora of options catering to varied tastes and interests, ensuring that there is something for everyone.

Affinity Radio: A Haven for Adult Listeners

One exemplary internet radio station that has effectively addressed the needs of mature audiences is Affinity Radio. This station has carved out a niche by providing a rich tapestry of music specifically designed for adult listeners. Affinity Radio’s eclectic mix includes classic hits, smooth jazz, adult contemporary,
relevant to a more mature demographic.

Unlike traditional broadcasters, Affinity Radio is not confined by the pressures of mainstream appeal. This freedom allows the station to curate content that is both diverse and sophisticated, resonating with listeners who feel underserved by the current offerings of major radio stations.

The Benefits of Internet Radio for Adult Listeners

1. Diverse Programming: Internet radio stations like Affinity Radio offer a broad spectrum of content that caters to various tastes and interests. From golden oldies to contemporary adult hits, there is a wide array of music genres to explore.

2. On-Demand Access: Many internet radio platforms provide on-demand services, allowing listeners to enjoy their favorite shows and music at their convenience, a feature that is particularly appealing to busy adults.

3. Global Reach: Internet radio transcends geographical barriers, giving listeners access to stations from around the world. This global reach enhances the diversity of content available and exposes listeners to a variety of cultures and perspectives.

4. Community Engagement: Stations like Affinity Radio foster a sense of community among their listeners. Through interactive shows and online forums, listeners can connect with like-minded individuals and share their passion for music and culture.

Conclusion

The shift in focus by traditional radio broadcasters towards younger audiences has indeed created a void for mature listeners. However, this void has been effectively filled by the burgeoning landscape of internet radio. Stations like Affinity Radio offer a sanctuary for adult listeners, providing them with tailored content that traditional broadcasters no longer emphasize. As the popularity of internet radio continues to rise, mature audiences now have more options than ever to find programming that resonates with their tastes and interests.

For those seeking a refreshing alternative to mainstream radio, Affinity Radio offers a compelling selection of music and talk shows that cater specifically to adult listeners. Discover what’s on offer and tune in to experience the difference at Affinity Radio.

Launching Your Own Internet Radio Station on a Budget: A Comprehensive Guide

 INTRODUCTION

In today's digital age, starting an internet radio station has become more accessible than ever before. With minimal equipment, a passion for music or talk shows, and a tight budget, you can create a platform that broadcasts your unique content to a global audience. In this post, we'll explore the steps to successfully launch an internet radio station for minimal cost.

Define Your Vision:
Before diving into the technical aspects, it's important to define your station's vision and target audience. Decide on the genre, format, and style of your programming. Are you aiming for a music-focused station or talk shows? Will you cover specific topics or cater to a particular demographic? Identifying these aspects will help you create content that resonates with your target audience.

Research Streaming Platforms: 

There are various streaming platforms available to host your internet radio station. Research and compare different options to find the one that aligns with your budget and requirements. Look for platforms that offer a free or affordable tier for broadcasting, provide reliable server hosting, and support features like scheduling, listener statistics, and monetization.Acquire 

Essential Equipment: 

Starting an internet radio station on a budget doesn't require expensive gear. Here's a list of the essential equipment you'll need:

Computer: 

A reliable computer with decent processing power and internet connectivity will be the backbone of your broadcasting setup.

Microphone: 

Invest in a quality microphone that suits your budget. USB microphones offer simplicity and decent sound quality but ensure it’s compatible with your PC or separate mixer or sound card.
Headphones: Get a comfortable pair of closed-back headphones to monitor your audio during live broadcasts or editing.

Audio Editing Software: 

Choose free or affordable audio editing software like Audacity or GarageBand to pre-record and edit your content.

Streaming Your Station:
Select a Reliable Hosting Provider that is essential for smooth broadcasting and a seamless listener experience. Look for providers that offer affordable plans with adequate bandwidth and storage capacity. Some popular options include Live365, Radio.co, and Spreaker.

Streaming Software: 

To broadcast your shows, you'll need streaming software. Many cost-effective or even free software options are available, such as:

Open Broadcaster Software (OBS): A free, open-source option that supports both audio and video streaming.

RadioDJ: A free, feature-rich software specifically designed for internet radio broadcasting.

BUTT (Broadcast Using This Tool): A straightforward, open-source tool for streaming audio.

Copyright and Licensing: 

Ensure that you comply with copyright laws and licensing regulations. Playing copyrighted music without proper authorisation can lead to legal issues. Research royalty-free music options, creative commons licenses, or consider working with independent artists who provide permission to use their music. Platforms like SoundCloud and Bandcamp offer a wide range of music from emerging artists.

Create Engaging Content: 

Develop a content strategy that captivates your target audience. Plan your shows, playlists, or talk segments in advance to maintain a consistent schedule. Consider inviting guests, conducting interviews, or hosting live sessions to keep your content fresh and engaging. Interact with your audience through social media platforms, take requests, and encourage listener participation to build a loyal community.

Promote Your Station: 

To attract listeners, you need to actively promote your internet radio station. 

Utilise social media platforms, create a website or blog, and engage with relevant online communities. Collaborate with other content creators, explore cross-promotion opportunities, and contact local media outlets for potential interviews or features. Don't underestimate the power of word-of-mouth advertising within your target audience.

Monetization Opportunities: 

While starting on a budget, it's essential to consider potential monetization avenues for your internet radio station. Explore sponsorship opportunities with local businesses or niche companies interested in your target audience. Affiliate marketing, listener donations, and merchandise sales are also viable options for generating revenue. As your audience grows, you can explore advertising partnerships or premium subscriptions for exclusive content.

Conclusion: 

Starting an internet radio station on a budget is an exciting endeavour that allows you to share your passion for music or talk shows with a global audience. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can establish a successful station without breaking the bank. Remember, consistency, engaging content, and effective promotion are key to building a loyal listener base.

Submitting Your Music to Radio Stations

How To get Airplay For Your Music

Getting your tracks played on Affinity Radio, in fact any radio station will play a role in promoting you and your music. It’s vital to approach radio stations in the right way so you increase the possibility of having your work played. Airplay can be difficult to secure, but if you follow the details in this Blog it may help you get there.

Preparation

1. You need to make your presentation of material and music files in a professional manner. Some stations require submissions to be in a particular format. Refer to the individual station websites to see if this is required. Generally, digital and emailable material is the preferred manner these days.
2. Compile a press pack which includes your profile (CV) and either links to your tracks you are submitting (Bandcamp, your website, etc) or send mp3/Wma files. Suggestion: make sure the title of these files are named properly to identify, usually "Artist Name" - "Title" this makes it easier for the presenters to identify your tracks and may put you above others who are just  lazy and call them (example) "trk01 202218", get my drift!
3. Do your homework on the station you hope will play your music, as an example you would send a rock track to Affinity radio, referencing one of our rock shows. Even better, add the name(s) of the specific presenters (more brownie points here).
4. Make sure not to  blanket all stations you will possibly end up in the trash bin.

Self Promotion

1. 
   Make sure you have an online presence, website, FaceBook page, Twitter..etc we know it's a pain but anything that gives you a plug is worth having
2. Keep the above updated as this again helps search engines find you, and maybe your prospective DJ, Radio Producer or Program Controller?
3. YouTube? Always a good way to show what you can do.
4. Live gigs again, share on social media, maybe even invite the station personel to a gig!

Target The Right Stations

Whilst we all would love our music played on national radio, this can be difficult. Dont expect instant results. Be patient and don't pester stations as again you will
end up in the dreaded trash can. Just remember you are one of hundreds or maybe thousands of artists all trying this.

1. Start off with your local radio stations as these will not be swamped by music submissions
2. Contact genre specific radio stations that fits your style
   
3. Take the time to listen to the presenters, note their names, pick a few you think your music will appeal to and contact them if you can.

Patience and Perseverence

Getting your music played on the radio isn’t easy. Make sure you’re targeting stations that are suitable for your music and the stage you are at in your music career.

Be realistic, persistent and most of all, make (and present) music that will grab the attention of DJ's and Program Managers.

I wish you the best of luck on your journey to sucess.

Tips for Radio Presenter Shows Submission to Radio Stations

INTRODUCTION

Here are our top tips to presenters to consider when submitting shows to internet radio stations.

1. FILE SIZE - Make sure the file size is set to the station kilobits per second output, we transmit at 128kbps which is the most common format. We get shows submitted in 320Kbps which are larger, take much longer to download and are sometimes too large for our Cloud Server. We then have to reformat to 128Kbps anyway. It's a pain for the station as well so watch out. Try out the free
   Media Human Audio Converter to keep things sweet.
   
2. VOLUME LEVELS - Quite often, even the most proficient broadcasters appear to slip up with their levels. Music and voice being very inconsistent. This shows up more when listening at reduced volumes. Our best tip is to set the microphone slightly above the music levels. Make sure your music is all of similar volume, we suggest using a free software tool called  MP3Gain to set all your music to the same level. 
   
   
3. FILE NAMING - Make sure your file naming is also consistent as some cloud systems rely on this to set your shows up correctly. A good guide can be found here: Shier Rzow website
   
   
   

Hope this little article has helped, let us know if you have any comments or other tips for presenters too. Thanks to all who have contributed.

COVID  -19  BOOSTS INTERNET RADIO LISTENERS

Its been a while since we last spoke. What a change to our world!

"Normal" no longer exists. Many have been impacted by illness or have lost loved ones to the virus.

Throughout this, we have continued to broadcast and made the decision to be COVID FREE. Generally, we do not dwell on news items that others cover in a sometimes morbid and repetitive way. We instead have focused on positive,  companionship, and togetherness. This has also meant that our listener base has increased since March 2020 by some 40%, amazing.

We were very excited about launching a new program called "Who Cares" in March 2020, a one-hour show which was broadcast weekdays 11-Noon and featured requests aimed at care home residents and their families in the Kent area. The aim was to allow Care Homes to turn on Affinity Radio so the residents can listen to the music and their loved ones can send in requests. This went some way in taking some of the pressure away from overworked staff who were dealing with telephone calls from families. This show has now moved on to a more general playlist called "GoldenClassics".

We also introduced a new "Music & General Knowledge" pub quiz night in May 2020 on Sunday evenings 8 pm which provides a totally interactive experience for all listeners and is still going strong. All our presenters have been excellent in providing their programs. 

Lastly thanks to all our listeners for your company and we hope that you will stay with us for years to come.

Best Wishes

Dave & Ray

Affinity Radio

Listen Here:

https://www.affinityradio.net/

https://stream.radio.co/s038d07e75/listen

https://tunein.com/radio/Affinity-Radio-s137736/

Smart speakers and TV's “play affinity radio on tune in dot com”

Catchup: https://www.mixcloud.com/affinityradio_net/

Dear Listener

A MESSAGE TO THE LISTENER

This is a message to all listeners of internet radio stations (not just ours).

Over the past few years, us internet radio broadcasters have been under
pressure from a whole onslaught of other music providing sources.

We like our other broadcasters have been trying our hardest to make out output compete and fill in a gap in this market. Stations come and go more rapidly than before as some folks think it is easy to grab your attention. This is definitely not the case.

COMMUNICATE

We have some die hard listeners who also from time to time communicate with us for which we are grateful. We also have those who also listen regularly but never communicate with us. This we know and accept, we change shows around and seek new program content on a regular basis but have little feedback from you the LISTENER. All stations will appreciate your feedback and it may be the difference between them improving or giving up. You the LISTENER have an ideal opportunity to have an impact, don't waste it.

GET IN TOUCH

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I ask you to consider maybe taking a few minutes to visit your favorite internet radio's website and say hello. Without you we would not be doing this, with your help and feedback we can prevail against all the odds stacked against us by the big boys (Itunes, Spotify, Deezer etc.)

Dave Kelly

Affinity Radio

Tips for Radio Show production

RECORDING YOUR CONTENT

Here are a few tips on recording

1. Whatever your show's content make sure you always check your LEVELS!. You would be surprised the number of programmes we sometimes get at Affinity where music to voice levels are drastically different. Always check these. One quick way is to use waveform view on your recording software. The example below is from Audacity. You will be able to see at a glance if levels differ too much.
   
2. Find out what is the best BIT RATE to record your shows. Bear in mind that some stations have upload limits for their content. Always record to the highest bitrate acceptable to your end user /station. Example: Station broadcasts at 128 kbps, anything above this level will not increase sound quality but will increase upload time for the station as higher bit rate = increased file size. We had an example once of a show being submitted that was 365 kbps and size of 6.5 MB, we had a maximum upload file size of 2.0 MB to our old Cloud Server....we had to down scale this to fit...not good for a station. Example below shows the set up for bit rate for broadcast software. Generally stations normally broadcast between 96 - 192 Kbps Bit rate.  
   
3. What file type or CODEC should you record in?. This can be complicated but from our experience the good old MP3 format works for most radio stations.  Find out more here CODEC's

NAMING YOUR SHOW FILE

Here at Affinity, we generally have around 30 shows submitted for broadcast per week. This is very time consuming so anything the show provider can do to assist us is a bonus. Here are a few tips to consider.

1. Save your shows file name in the following format: Presenters Name - Show Name - Date or other detail. This ensures that (most) broadcast software will show the correct details in the right order on the audio player that your listeners will see. The example to the right shows the correct formatted file as uploaded to our server. This shows the detail fills out the correct fields on our broadcast software. This saves time for us as we don't have to update these details so that they display correctly on our player and on any other players broadcasting the show via our TuneIn, or other on line directories. The picture below shows how the above data looks on our player. All this is (or can be) done at the recording stage.
    
2. File METADATA may also help to show your show is professionally produced and you are helping the poor overworked station manager. You can edit the metadata using Windows 10 file explorer by doing the following: 
   1. Open File Explorer (Windows key + E).
   2. Browse the location of the songs  or audio file you want to edit.
   3. Right-click a song or audio file, and select Properties.
   4. Click the Details tab.

   
   

We hope this has helped you to present the data and sound quality at the right level and to demonstrate to the station who may be wanting to broadcast your show that you are a serious broadcasting professional. We will cover more topics on this subject soon.