WHICH WAS THE FIRST INTERNET RADIO STATION
The topic of Internet Radio is an interesting one, and is filled with entertaining stories and claims as to who really invented Internet Radio.
Some of the claims which can be found on the internet, are based on verifiable evidence, whilst others are solely based on the say so of the claimant.
In this brief article, I examine the claims and distilled fact from fiction to determine who is the true inventor of Internet Radio.
I selected the first 7 candidates from a simple Google search for “First Internet Radio Station”.
CARL MALAMUD - (1993)
There appears to be several inaccuracies with crediting Carl Malamud for the invention of “internet radio”. He has been described as the “The Father of Internet Radio”
First of all, the distribution of audio files, is not radio, and definitely not streaming, or any form or a derivative of streaming.
This is an important and crucial observation and alters significantly what Carl Malamud was indeed doing at that time.
What he was doing by way of experimentation, was not groundbreaking, it was not approached in any scientific or organized manner, where records are created from technical discoveries and findings, through investigation and experimentation,but instead, and in an ad hock way, he was merely dabbling or tinkering with already established technologies, like so many like him at that time.
The act of recording interviews or any audio for that matter, and distributing it by way of FTP (File Transfer Protocol), was not novel or unique for that period. It was common at the time amongst computer enthusiasts using FTP and Bulletin Board Services (BBSs), to share electronic files.
Other file transfer protocols were also popular at the time, including XMODEM, Kermit and UUCP (Unix-to-Unix Copy), to name a few.
This was not streaming by any stretch of the imagination, and therefore not “internet radio”.
The fact that he described his experiment as “Internet Talk Radio”, does not make it radio by the use of the word “radio” in its title, nor does it elevate the FTP protocol to that of “streaming”. They are two very different and distinct protocols with very distinct and unique functions.
Importantly, Radio and Internet Radio, have their own well established definitions and minimum criteria. Carl Malamud’s experiments do not meet the criteria as defined below:-
- An Internet-Only Station - not FM simulcast
- Professionally run with DJs or Hosts
- 24/7 operation including streaming uptime
- Built to serve an audience
- Scalable infrastructure
- Documented, licensed, and publicly accessible
Notwithstanding the existence of some archived recordings of Carl Malamud’s interviews, the claim made as “the first internet radio stations” must fail, as it does not meet the most fundamental criteria for “radio” or “internet radio” as articulated above.
In Carl Malamud’s case, there are no other verifiable records of his experiments, no photographs or video preserving and immortalizing the moment when “Internet Radio” was invented, as would be expected for such an historical and significant event.
WXYC - (1994) - (University of North Carolina).
- This was a terrestrial FM station simulcasting to the internet. This was not an internet-only station.
- It operated sporadically conforming with university time-tables. Therefore not 24/7.
- CU-SeeMe is not streaming software, but akin to MSN and limited to small closed peer-to-peer groups of user, thereby not readily publicly available streams to the masses.
- There are no archival documents, recordings or other evidence to support their claim of “the first internet radio station”.
Again, there are no other verifiable records of this experimental series of sporadic broadcasts, no photographs or video preserving and immortalizing the moment “Internet Radio” was invented, as one would expect for such a historical and significant event.
NETRADIO - (1996)
Depending on the source, Netradio was more of a “platform” than a “radio station” or, more of a “network” than a “radio station”, nevertheless, it did not operate 24/7 due to financial constraints, and lacked even basic resources to remain operational. It appeared to have no infrastructure to speak of, and ultimately after 5 years of fragmented operation, closed its doors.
RADIO HK - (1995)
Their sporadic stream and lack of music scheduling and professional DJs and hosts, does not meet the criteria for an “internet radio station”.
It appears they are no longer broadcasting enlivening the very important issue of longevity.
NETFM - (1998)
Established in October 1998, NetFM was built from the ground up as a 24/7 internet-only radio station.
It fulfilled every criterion of true radio broadcasting:
- Scheduled, continuous live programming
- Licensed music and original shows, including The Vinyl Lounge
- Professional DJs and hosts
- High-fidelity proprietary streaming tech
- Publicly accessible worldwide
- Real-time listener interaction via chatrooms and requests
In 1999, NetFM became the first internet radio station to air a Coca-Cola commercial, validating its status as a serious media platform.
It is worthy to mention two similar stations, also claiming to be the “first internet radio station”. They are :-
KJHK (Univ. of Kansas, 1994)
- Similar problems to WXYC. No continuous streaming, no solid evidence, at the mercy of university time-tables.
WREK (Georgia Tech, 1994)
- Claimed same-day streaming as WXYC, but no scalable access, no evidence.
- Effectively a sister station to WXYC and at the mercy of institution time-tables.
THE VERDICT
While there were many early experiments in internet audio distribution, NetFM stands out as the first true internet radio station. Its continuous operation, professional programming, and high-quality infrastructure set the stage for the development of the vibrant internet radio industry we know today.
Of considerable significance is NetFM’s longevity of over two decades, while others no longer exist.
Other early efforts were either constrained by external factors (such as being university-run) or lacked the fundamental qualities of a true radio station.