Introduction

How do I start my own radio station?

That's a question I've been asked multiple times. As someone who operates a near handful of radio stations, both online and over-the-air, I figured I'd share some of my knowledge with you.

A Legal Preface

As a bit of a warning, try to stay on the safe side of regulatory bodies. I'll be talking about over-the-air and internet radio, which have their own set of rules to follow. Different countries have their own rules regarding over-the-air unlicensed transmissions, so become familiar with your area's rules. I'll be talking from an American point of view, as I am based in the United States.

A rule to follow worldwide is that of copyright. If you want to draw any sort of attention towards yourself, make sure you're operating legally. If you wish to play copyrighted music on an internet stream, I recommend using a service like Live365 or Radio.co that handles licensing. If you don't have the money for a service like that, and you want to keep a low profile, you should be okay running an unlicensed station. Just keep this in mind.