5 Links Special Edition: Exploring Online Radio

When I first got on the internet, I was instantly curious to find out about reading international news and receiving radio from around the world. It was still a novel concept in the mid-90s, and even then very few stations were streaming their programming, much less at a listenable quality. Through the years, though, it’s become common enough that you can expect to find almost anything out there in terms of quality.

Sometimes it doesn’t seem that way. Much like deciding to dine out in a major city, you can go for incredibly rare and memorable dishes or you can find the nearest fast food joint. Since there’s one of those every few blocks, we know which one is more popular.  While there are hundreds of characterless electronic, pop, and hipster music stations that tend to sound the same after a little while, the internet does offer us a lot of amazing places to go and things to listen to.  I decided to pick five hidden gems that were either unique or presented something rare. A few of these stations can be heard right on their website, while others will need a decent media player to work (like VLC or Winamp).

1) Cat Classica — This online-only station broadcasts from the Catalan Region of northeast Spain. As suggested by the name, the music is mainly classical, yet extends well beyond the stereotype we may have of  classical music. The music is diverse, ranging from standards by Mozart and Beethoven to Gershwin to Catalan and Spanish folk music. With very little interruption (usually nothing more than station IDs and the occasional announcements), the music keeps going with styles and instruments you rarely hear on American public radio. If you like studying or reading to great music, give this a chance.

2) Ancient Faith Radio — Orthodox Christians have a long, rich history of choral music due to the fact that their liturgy is often sung instead of spoken. Ancient Faith Radio celebrates this tradition by airing music from around the world that builds on these Christian traditions. Not every song is by an Orthodox choir (I’ve seen both Catholic and Lutheran Churches on the playlist), but most every song is based on the words of a saint, a prayer, a psalm, or the words of Jesus Himself. At times they will break into the music for a short reading from scripture or an Orthodox saint, but this channel is mainly about the spiritual songs. As Christian music goes, this selection is decidedly non-contemporary.

3) Africa Number One — From Gabon, this station transmits to numerous countries and cities in the Western part of Africa. While I admit my knowledge of West African music is lagging a little, listening to some of the music programs on Africa N°1 could help me figure out some of it. There’s rap, reggae, the occasional American and European pop, and a host of local styles from both Gabon and nearby countries. If you happen to be fluent in French you’re in luck: the presentations (and website) are mainly in French. There’s news at the top of every hour, and a few advertisements throughout the hour. If you have trouble deciphering the French website, just click on “Ecoutez en direct” to get the pop-up player.

4) KBRW — Barrow Community Radio. Barrow, Alaska, is the northernmost city in the United States and with a population of about 4,500 people, the largest city north of the Arctic Circle on the continent. It is hundreds of miles from a connecting road, and the nearest neighboring village is about 140 miles away. The only local radio station is the public radio station KBRW, which broadcasts separate programming on AM and FM. As with many solitary stations in remote locations, the station does everything it can to please as many people as possible. A look at their schedule shows Public Radio standbys Morning Edition and All Things Considered next to Inupiat language lessons and scripture readings. Birthday request programs, local lost and founds, and people in town playing their favorite jazz music make up more of the eclectic schedule. What the announcers may lack in professional training they make up with enthusiasm and a personal touch that is increasingly rare. This style of radio would terrify industry consultants in the “lower 48,” but stations like KBRW are not only necessary in bush Alaska, they’re often the only link a person may have with the rest of the nation.

5) SaintFM — In case you thought Barrow wasn’t isolated enough, check out SaintFM, broadcasting from the island of St. Helena in the Atlantic Ocean. It rebroadcasts to three of its nearest island neighbors: Tristan De Chuna (often called the most remote inhabited place in the world) over 1500 miles away, Ascension Island 800 miles northwest,  and the Falkland Islands near the tip of Argentina. Much like KBRW, don’t expect much in the way of smooth DJs and perfectly-timed announcements. Do expect to hear a lot about fishing, city news, tides, and birthday wishes from family in the UK. When your total listening audience is under 5000 and spread across thousands of miles, you don’t need to sound like big city stations.