Ask HN: Any API's to broadcast radio? (the old kind, not Internet radio)

[barmstrong]

I find the quality of radio when driving around town to be very severely lacking. I think the general trend of internet radio will continue, but lots of cars won't be equipped to get internet radio for a long time.

So I was wondering: 1. What the rough costs are to get unused air time 2. Would it be possible to create an API or some easy way for people to publish content

The idea would be to let niche radio appear (maybe HN Radio as an example). Costs (and advertisements) could be drastically reduced by either letter people broadcast from home with a skype headset (crowd sourcing it), or even automating the content with interesting audio books, talks, podcasts, etc.

I'm not sure what the cost would be to just get the air time or where to start thinking about coding up such an API. Has anyone thought about this?

[vyrotek]

I wonder if internet radio in cars will be here sooner than you think though. I already know of MANY people who use their iPhone or Android phone (me included) to stream Pandora or other radio and just output the audio to the car speakers via an FM broadcaster or Aux input jack.

But, in regard to your idea... I wish there was that sort of API. I do listen to normal radio once in a while and would love to hear some indi stuff.

[barmstrong → vyrotek]

Yep that's a good point. Bluetooth radios are gonna be big too. Those FM broadcaster ones an additional piece of hardware which is somewhat annoying, but you're right they work well.