Birth of an Internet Talk Radio Station
Starting and operating an Internet talk radio station requires preparation, research, vision, mission, and a solid business and marketing plan. Before you incorporate a company, especially one that focuses on media promotion and marketing for their guests and talk show hosts, an entrepreneur must answer several basic needs before incorporating.
Target Audience
Fully Automated
Live Call-in programs
Live Talk Show Hosts
Type of Programming
Fee versus No Fee Programming
Contracts
Station Hours
Programs Lengths
18 and Older
Family Audience
Radio Software (free or paid)
Hardware
Streaming and Encoders
Revenue
Advertisers
Sponsors
These are several items one must consider before investing in starting up a radio station.
I started podcasting before I turned the podcasts into individual talk show host's programs. I knew what type of programming I wanted to provide to my target audience and eventual demographic audience. There is a difference.
A target audience is one that you've chosen to direct your programs, music, and/or events to. A demographic audience is what your station collects as people become aware of what your station is offering to the general public.
I also needed a name that would tempt people to come over and listen to the variety of programs I would provide. The call letters of my Internet radio station are PIVTR - short for Passionate Internet Voices Talk Radio. My website, I have two, reflect both the physical (company name, media and press kit, benefits to my listening audience, etc.) and the actual radio station, http://internetvoicesradio.com.
PIVTR started December, 2005. The station is going into its third year. The small business administration reminds entrepreneurs that it requires 5 years before your company is considered a success. Vital statistics from various sources: Google analytics, my hosting stats, statcounter, and SEO sites will give you the numbers that many Internet radio stations require to let them know what their listener audience likes to hear and rehear.
An entrepreneur must consider several other options when starting up and operating an Internet talk radio station. First and foremost is the talk show hosts themselves and the type of programming they're providing to the station. At PIVTR, I consider the talk show hosts as the company. PIVTR models its company mission after Southwest Airlines did when employees were a part of the company as well as involved in corporate policy and in running the company.
Programming determines what type of content you want to present to the listening buying, downloading, and feedback audience. PIVTR chose to run a variety of programs. Also, as a Internet station, PIVTR is neutral in all things. It doesn't take sides, interprets, opinionates, manipulates, or tells people what to think or what to do, that's not what an Internet talk radio station is about.
Put your talk show hosts and their programs together, and you get a superior Internet talk radio station worth working for and investing in.
