Tereza Babamova

The concept of Internet radio
- its presence and use in the Republic of Macedonia

 The use of Internet radio has become increasingly popular in recent years. The purpose of this essay is to explain the concept of Internet radio and to carry out an analysis of its treatment in the Republic of Macedonia.

1. What is Internet radio

Internet radio is an audio programme broadcast directly from the Internet.
Reduced audio formats of the codec principal are used. These file formats are accepted as a general standard for music on the Internet (such as MP3, ram, wmv etc.). The audio programme can be followed with a virtual player-decoder, i.e. software which can read the standard reduced audio files. It can be installed in any computer which contains a sound card (starting from the PC to the smaller digital machines such as the palmtop) and is connected to the Internet.
 The reception and broadcasting of the programme take place simultaneously by means of audio streaming.

1.1 Audio streaming

The technique of audio streaming has been in use since 1995. It was created by Progressive Networks (today’s Real Networks) and has been defined as a device which enables streaming of the audio signals through the Internet (Powell, 2000). At that time the quality of sound was poor, so Internet radio was not widely accepted. With the revolutionary emergence of the new audio reduced formats, above all MP3s, the audio streaming principle also became standardised.
 Today it is defined as “starting the playback before the entire file has been downloaded. Whereas downloading a file leaves a copy of that file on the PC, streaming does not create an additional copy of the file”. (MP3.com, Glossary)
 Internet radio and audio streaming have become a relevant integral element of sites within the WWW. Namely, besides its basic function as Internet radio, audio streaming is practiced within other different sites: for live broadcasting of events, promotions of musical events (such as songs), in order to protect unauthorized copying of the files, etc.

1.1.1 Broadcast performances

Audio streaming is a device with which the user listens “live” to the file on the server, during which the file is not saved permanently.
This means that the programme broadcast by way of audio streaming does not take up a lot of memory on the server. Broadcasting a programme by means of audio streaming requires: a server, a fast Internet connection (at least 128 kbps) and corresponding software.
The following technical characteristics are factors which determine the quality of the streaming: the format and the bandwidth of the audio file, the speed of the Internet connection and the leased bandwidth. This table shows the basic performance required depending on the type of broadcast programme and the demands of the radio. Streaming digitisation, i.e the encoding of the signal is performed by specific software for adapting the hard drive into the server, as well as the codec, depends on the demands and economic abilities of the client. The most popular coders and servers are Shoutcast, a Nullsoft and Icecast brand, used in non-commercial radio stations.
 


1.2 Internet Radio Stations

 Generally, there are two types of programme broadcasting through audio streaming:
    - prepared programme with coded files (playlists) on the server
    - streaming of the FM radio programme.
 This division includes a third category, streaming of the audio files within information sites. In fact, this is a variant of the category ‘prepared programme with coded files (playlists) on the server’.

1.2.1 Prepared programme with coded files

 This is a programme prepared digitally in coded audio files. It includes a server with a capacity of holding a large number of files for a longer period of time. In this type of broadcasting, the users have the advantage of accessing the files out of the programme and through an established hyperlink.
 In this type of programme preparation, digitisation is essential for the encoding of the files. “... the issue of reduced file formats, i.e. digital formats in which part of the data is eliminated because of the size of the files, is of special interest to the radio stations, which at that time (p.n: in the 80s) were preparing for the shift of the recording and broadcasting of the programme in digital formats. Therefore, in the early 90s, the Labour Group of the Union of the German Radio and Television Stations, led by Albrecht Hoefner, played the key role. Even then, this group categorically resisted the reduction in archiving, rather than the reduction in broadcasting.” (Buzarovski, 2002) Thus we must keep in mind that the coded files are created exclusively for promotional goals, i.e. for broadcasting over the Internet radio, whereas the original digital copies serve only for archive purposes.

1.2.2  Streaming of the FM radio programme

 In streaming the traditionally prepared radio programme, the programme itself reaches the Internet Service Provider through a line (with a cable connection or an FM card). The audio signal streams in a specific reduced format and is sent to the server in a coded form, from where it is broadcast on the Internet. This connection is streamed from the very entrance of the signal, which reaches the hearer with a minimal delay. It is used by radio stations who broadcast their programme on the Internet simultaneously. A copy of the digital file is not preserved.

1.2.3  Information sites with streaming audio files

  Internet radio and conventional radio are in constant competition. With the purpose of maintaining their dominance in the field, radio stations create their own web sites.
 The Internet radio concept demands a specific design. The radio station web sites offer a rich programme divided into numerous channels, broadcast exclusively through this medium. These sites offer connections to the previously-broadcast audio files, connections to specific audio contents that are not broadcast live, etc.
 These sites usually broadcast their programme by means of audio streaming. The advantage of these sites over conventional radio is reflected in two segments:
 - globalisation of the programme;
 - enrichment of the contents with text and graphics.
 The world’s largest information broadcasting companies (such as BBC and CNN) have well-developed web sites. The programme they offer mainly supports and completes the standard radio and TV programme. Except the ‘live’ programme, these sites note audio streaming of news from different regions, by choice, as well as an elaborate graphic and textual content.
 In this context we would also mention the Internet TV channels, which offer their live programme by audio and video streaming.

1.3 Browsing the Internet

The IP address of the Internet radio channels is not always covered by a domain name. The location refers directly to the audio file; therefore it is not included in the Internet search engines and the browsers.

1.3.1  Internet radio search engines

 In order to locate the Internet radio channels, a virtual radio tuner is required -  software installed in the computer.
 The virtual radio tuner is software which unites an Internet radio station search engine and a decoder/player. Having in mind that the radio programme provides exclusively audio files, web browsers such as Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator are not needed. Lycos Rhapsody (www.lycos.com) and SomaFM (www.somafm.com) are among the better-known programmes.
 The variants of virtual radio tuners are web sites with a similar purpose: Internet search engines for Internet radio channels, which refer to the user’s player when decoding. The well-known sites of this type include:


1.3.2  Internet radio browsers

 The Internet radio programme is a succession of coded audio files. Thus, browsers for the Internet radio are the players themselves, i.e. the decoders of the audio files.
 The decoder players partly represent mini browsers for the audio files located on the Internet. By entering the correct location of the channel, the decoder turns to the IP address and starts the programme.
 Placing Internet radio channels on different web sites is also a common practice. A link is created with a virtual button (hyperlink) to the specific web site. In this way the channel becomes accessible to users who are not acquainted with the exact location of the music file. Likewise, the audio file is decoded with the player already owned by the user.

1.3.3 Audio streaming within the web sites

 The programme of this type of Internet radio and audio streaming is located on the corresponding web site. Therefore, searching is realised in a more conventional manner, through Internet search engines. In this case, the virtual radio receiver is unnecessary.

2. Macedonian Internet radio

 Broadcasting programmes live through the Internet radio is also widely practiced in the Republic of Macedonia. By analysing the programme and the manner in which it is placed on the Internet, the following data was obtained:

1. There is a channel in Macedonia exclusively broadcasting on the Internet (MIR 1, 2 and 3);
2. Seven Macedonian radio channels also broadcast programmes through Internet radio;
3. Two worldwide webs include programmes in Macedonian on Internet radio (BBC and VOA).
2.1 Structure of Macedonian Internet radio stations

We completed the Internet radio programme classification in the previous section. The classification included: Internet radio, conventional radio stations which also broadcast their programmes on the Internet, and audio streaming within web sites.

2.1.1  Internet radio stations

Three Internet radio locations are in existence in Macedonia, all under the name of ‘Macedonian Internet Radio’ or ‘MIR’. Each of these three channels has its own programme distinctions:

 MIR 1 - Techno, Drum’n’ Bass, House
 MIR 2 - Music by Macedonian composers
 MIR 3 - Macedonian folk and evergreen
 They broadcast exclusively music programmes. A link to a text file also exists, which lists the last twenty songs broadcast from these three channels; this serves as an insight to the type of programme being broadcast. Within the programme divided into three locations and the links to the archive of the channel, there is a possibility of forming a web page, which would unite all of these services. Still, in placing its programme on the Internet, MIR complies with the basic concept of Internet radio, and is located only by virtual radio receivers or by links, i.e. hyperlinks from the larger Macedonian web pages: www.macedonia.eu.org, MIA.com.mk and others.

2.1.2  Radio station web sites

In the Republic of Macedonia, sixteen radio stations have registered web sites. Some of them are very simple in terms of concept and content. We will only consider those that offer a live programme, i.e. audio streaming. They are: Macedonian Radio, Antenna 5, Radio Bubamara, Radio Grom, Radio Ravel Radio Fortuna and Radio Ros. The following chart shows the basic features of the audio streaming of each of these channels.
The programme broadcast on these web sites reflects the content of the programme of the corresponding radio station. Except for Antenna 5, the radio programme of these stations is coded and placed on the Internet simultaneously, by streaming the FM radio programme.
 

2.1.3  Internet radio programmes in Macedonian within global information broadcasting web sites

 The web sites of the British Broadcasting Company BBC  and the American Voice of America incorporate a page in the Macedonian language (see Table 3)
 


Informative shows and news within this page are broadcast by audio streaming. There is a schedule of the broadcast programme. Part of the shows are kept in the site’s archive, which enables the hearer to listen to them by choice outside the programme’s schedule.

2.2 Access of Macedonian Internet radio stations

 The virtual radio receiver on the Internet Media Station World Radio and TV Tuner (http://www.org.mk/radio) covers part of the current Internet radio stations in the Republic of Macedonia. They are: MIR, Antenna 5, Radio Skopje, Radio Bubamara, Radio Ros and Radio Fortuna. Radio Ros and Fortuna are broadcast through http://www.live365.com, which functions on the principle ‘preferred member’.
 The safest way of locating the rest of the Macedonian Internet radio programmes is to search the Macedonian Internet directory at www.org.mk. The radio station directory contains all Macedonian radio stations present on the Internet, whereas searching the live programme requires entrance in the site of the individual radio station and checking whether there is a link to the live programme. Most of the data in our research was acquired in this manner.

3. Promotion of Macedonian music culture through Internet radio

Internet radio joins the concepts of conventional radio and the Internet in general. Therefore, it aids in the affirmation of local culture.
 Besides the numerous Macedonian radio channels on the Internet and their presence on the world’s virtual radio tuners, the potential to affirm Macedonian culture through the programmes of Macedonian Internet radio channels is insufficiently exploited.
 In that sense, the realisation of an Internet radio channel for Macedonian classical music and Macedonian performers, as well as coverage of current music events, is deemed a necessity. The initiative of the School of Music to form a student radio, among other goals, will lead to the solving of this problem.
 
 
 

Bibliography: