I discovered something new a few months ago that I would have never given a second thought to. Internet Radio. I had always had the mindset that Internet Radio was nothing but...well...Sirius Satellite Radio devices. Boy was I wrong. The device I discover looked exactly like a Radio but with absolutely beautiful acoustics.
That beautiful little gem was playing Abyssinian folk songs. And in of all places...an Irish American Barber Shop. The music played non-stop from the time I arrived to the time I departed. A very unusual occurrence. You see this was the typical American Barber Shop. A place where we brag about our children, embellish what we did during the war, talked about old friends and wonder where the years have gone. There is one trait that all neighborhood Barber Shops have in common, regardless of the time, location or ethnic group. It is a sanctuary where men can bond.
But on this particular day, the Shop's bonding was self-contained. No one talked. That little Radio was playing music most of us had never heard before. And we were all swept away to exotic lands dreaming of adventures that should have happened years ago; back when we had hair and a reason to actually be at the Barber Shop.
One of the many characteristics that lead many listeners like me to Internet Radio is the reality that we can listen to such a wide-ranging blend of arrangements from around the globe. Internet radio service is commonly available from anyplace in the world. One could listen to a French or Italian station from America, Europe or Australian. If you would like to hear the Ski report in Prague from Hawaii, you can. In fact the Voice of America was one of the first broadcasters to embrace Internet Radio. That alone speaks volumes of its international appeal.
Internet Radio remains extremely popular with expatriates and other listeners with musical and program interests that are not sufficiently performed by neighboring radio stations. These radios entails streaming media, giving listeners a continuous stream of acoustics but without the ability to be rerun or suspended. This characteristic is similar to conventional program media which makes it different from on-demand file serving. It is also distinct from podcasting, which involves downloading programs instead of streaming.
With Internet Radio, receiving the stream is much like listening to an MP3 player. The format is the same. Several formats are offered, however the MP3 and AAC formats are at present the most commonly utilized.
Most importantly, you are not just limited to broadcast audio. A typical broadcast can also include pictures, texts and links. And most also allow you to interact with message boards and chat rooms.
If you hear or see something you want over the Internet Radio you are free to order that item or service through the link on the Internet Radio Broadcasting website. Internet Radio has broadened my imagination and increased my personal growth in the world of music. Now even my teenage kids think I'm cool again. Not bad for an old man once stuck with the music from the early 80s.
