Payola is a topic where, in Jamaica, there is much discussion but very little action.  It is a criminal offence that is embedded in the Jamaican radio industry where airplay is 'bought' by producers, artistes and record companies.

According to some, this practice has diminished the quality of songs played on the radio and, in the process, has frustrated many artists and producers to leave the business.  However, in this technological era, the inability to pay to get your songs played shouldn’t be a deterrent as it is now possible to have your own radio station to promote your own songs or songs that you feel deserve promoting. 

The Internet has made it possible for the small man to compete in many of the big boy’s games and radio is no exception. Today's technology allows anyone to do what was once limited to a small percentage of people. Now YOU can become a broadcaster, YOU can be the DJ, YOU can be the Program Director who decides your broadcast to the world - thanks to the Internet.

There are several approaches to webcasting and the one you select depends on your goals. If generating a profit is your intent then the avenue you choose might be different from the person who just wants to set up a broadcast to simply share his or her CD collection or productions with a wider audience.

There are several options for the beginner, which require very little technical knowledge. I will discuss the two easiest ones in my humble opinion.  If you can create or assemble MP3 files, upload them and choose a few options, you can reach a global audience!

Live 365

Live 365 is the premiere provider of independent web-based streams, otherwise known as web Radio or webcasting. What Live365 does is act as your “transmitter”. They have constructed the infrastructure that allows thousands of audio streams to use their computers. It's easy to begin broadcasting with them and it's easy for listeners to hear your broadcast. Live365 offers several options:

1. Basic mode let's you upload music or speech files, create a playlist and press the "start" button. It's a poor man's automation that works quite flawlessly. You can change files anytime and adjust playlists at will. As a matter of fact, you can create various playlists to reflect your needs.
2. Live mode permits you to do your broadcast in real-time. If you want to DJ your own show and take email or phone requests, this is the way.
3. Relay mode is designed to rebroadcast your existing audio stream.  This is an option more for businesses like terrestrial Radio stations who want a Net presence.

Prices for their standard packages vary from $9.95 per month to $99.95 per month depending on several factors including simultaneous listeners and disk space.  They also provide custom packages in the event the standard ones aren’t adequate for your needs.

Pirate Radio

The Pirate Radio package puts Internet broadcasting into the palm of the common person, whether a 16-year-old teenager who wants to stream his favorite songs to his girlfriend on a Friday night or the senior citizen who wishes to upload a recorded show about tending a summer garden. It doesn't get any easier than this! The interface is simple and intuitive and empowers anybody with the ability to reach the world on a shoestring budget.

All you have to do is input your settings, establish your IP address and bit rate, pick a playlist of mp3 files, connect your microphone to your soundcard if you want to broadcast live, and press BEGIN.  That’s it and you are on the air!

The cost of the Pirate Radio package is $29.95 for personal use.  However, end users must have the Destiny Media Player, which is free.

So if terrestrial radio is hampering your promotional efforts, look to cyber space.  More and more people are going there daily for their news, sports, and entertainment anyway.  Use the technology to your advantage.