"Every town deserves a radio station that sounds like itself.
"KaiRenner26th of April 2026
Online Community Radio Station
Launch an internet radio station for your neighborhood, town, or interest community using free and open-source tools. AzuraCast makes it possible to run a professional stream from a single server.
$10/Month
10DJs
Choose Your Software
AzuraCast is the recommended self-hosted option. Install on a $6 DigitalOcean droplet. It includes AutoDJ, a web interface for DJs, scheduling, and listener analytics built in.
Build Your Programming
Mix live shows with AutoDJ filler. Recruit local musicians, storytellers, and community voices. Create a weekly schedule and hold to it so listeners can form habits.
Build the Community
Stream to your website and add a Mixcloud or SoundCloud archive. Post show recordings to a community Discord. Create a local artist spotlight series to draw in musicians.
Launch Checklist
Register a domain for the station
Spin up a VPS and install AzuraCast
Upload 8 hours of filler music cleared for broadcast
Recruit 3 show hosts for the first schedule
Set up a station Discord for DJs and listeners
Embed the stream player on your website
Announce on local Facebook and Nextdoor
Check your country's music licensing rules before going live. In the US you may need a SoundExchange license for streaming. Many stations start with podsafe and Creative Commons music to avoid fees early on.