A WEB RADIO BLUEPRINT – UPDATED

Way back in 2004, I wrote a thesis on the steps you could take to establish an Internet Radio Station. While the paper served its purpose and allowed me to complete my MSIT degree at RIT, I was never able to actually use it as a blueprint and start a station.
Since this is my first attempt at blogging, (and I don’t have any better ideas), I thought I would use the blog to update the research I did back then, and also try to put it into practice and actually start or launch some type of Web Radio station.
So for anyone that might find that interesting or is thinking about doing something similar, please feel free to follow my blog and post your comments as I go through it.
First entry then is the abstract I wrote about my thesis.
Rochester Institute of Technology
Abstract
WEB RADIO BLUEPRINT
By Michael P. Moran (Copyright 2004)
Chairperson of the Supervisory Committee: Professor Dan Garrison
Department of Information Technology
The Internet is one of the most significant technological developments in our lifetime, and its impact affects many established technologies and media. Radio is one of the established media revolutionized by the Internet because of the expanding multi-media capabilities, leading the way to a more focused medium when compared to traditional terrestrial radio broadcasting. Radio transmissions over the Internet (Web Radio) offers the opportunity to provide content focused to a “niche” audience, while providing an opportunity for broader operator participation than terrestrial radio.
Web Radio is an Information Technology that offers a viable alternative to commercial radio, which has become increasingly consolidated since the Passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Commercial radio consolidation into ten major owners has resulted in less localism, diversity, and competition in radio. Web Radio can restore these elements to the radio industry, assuming policies implemented support the goals of localism, diversity, competition, and interaction.
Web Radio is at a critical stage in its development as an Internet supported information technology. Web Radio content providers are facing several significant issues in the economic and regulatory components of their businesses. Web Radio represents a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs and producers to establish viable conduits for the content that they are able to create. It is critical that policies concerning the technical, legal, and operational issues be determined in a way that does not cripple the development of the industry.
This thesis provides a blueprint for individuals or organizations that are new to the technology of Web Radio, or would like to review the current state of affairs in the technical and legal components of webcasting. This “Web Radio Blueprint” will assist individuals or organizations with the implementation of webcasting as a way to communicate their music or message to an interested listener. It provides a blueprint for an organization attempting to become an Internet Broadcaster, or add an Internet Broadcasting function to an e-commerce site, by presenting three key areas that should be considered in the organization’s plan. These areas include infrastructure technologies used in webcasting, legal obstacles imposed by the 1998 “Digital Millennium Copyright Act” and other rulings, and operational concerns that an e-commerce organization should address.