Congratulations, on taking the exciting first step toward becoming an Internet radio broadcaster!

Never before has it been so easy to start your very own music radio station. Nowadays, Internet radio (according to current market trends) is almost surpassing FM and AM in popularity and appeal both at work, home, and school.

SWCast.net's Personal Broadcast Services can take your dream to the next level. So, let's get the show on the road!

Our detailed user guide will get you on-track to becoming a broadcaster easily, legally, and affordably. All you need is a working computer, plenty of music, an Internet connection -- and some creativity can go a long way as well!

The tutorial takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. If you are not familiar with Webcasting, we advise taking a moment to familiarize yourself with the concepts and procedures outlined in this guide.

Clearing the rights for you to legally broadcast your music collection over the Internet is our specialty. In fact, the Joint Performance Licensing Program™ is already bundled as part of your membership in Personal Broadcast Services.

We take care of all the boring and confusing business stuff, so you can sit back and have fun!

	Warning: Streaming music-recordings in which you do not have full artistic ownership — buying the CD is not enough — is a violation of copyright law and can result in severe penalties. You must secure a license for this purpose. The JPL Program can provide this necessary clearance (certain restrictions may apply).

While it might be possible (and certainly cheaper) to serve a broadcast directly out of your home or office, if you expect to grow your listenership to any degree, you need a dedicated stream host provider for this purpose.

The following stream host providers offer competitive rates and plans for SHOUTcast broadcasters, including the latest server technologies and broadband network facilities:

Vendor	Homepage
SpacialAudio	http://www.spacialnet.com/
MediaCast1	http://www.mediacast1.com/
StreamGuys	http://www.streamguys.com/
SystemTechnik	http://www.radiostreamer.com/

When considering a provider, please remember that your station's concurrent listeners and source bitrate will be the factors most likely used to determine your contract fees.

There are a number of software-based radio automation products available to you, most of which include features for playlist management, request handling, and much more.

For general purpose broadcasting, however, a standalone setup with WinAmp will probably suffice. It's free, after all!

Vendor	Title
Spacial Audio	SAM3 Broadcaster
Systemtechnik	DRS2006
Nullsoft	WinAmp
Nullsoft	SHOUTcast DSP Plugin
Nullsoft	SHOUTcast Server

A potential audience needs to be able to recognize you and what you offer that is different from your competitiors.

It is important to build an image that conveys who you are and why people should choose you. This includes having a solid reputation, memorable brand-name, etc.

The following companies specialize in production and imaging services for Webcasters:

Vendor	Homepage
JJ McKay	http://www.jjmckay.com/
Kerry McCall	http://www.kerrymccall.com/

Any marketing major will tell you, having a fabulous idea is not good enough. If you build it, they will only come if you know how and where to sell it — effectively.

Running an Internet radio station doesn't always necessitate sales, but it does require building an audience. The following companies will get your name on the billboards, or at least on the most popular search engines and site directories.

Vendor	Homepage
Coming Soon!