In several weeks of deep exploration into the world of streaming radio stations I am within three days of being an expert, equipped now with overall generalizations about the state of the medium.
As a news talk radio station we wondered who else was doing news talk in the U.S. and found no such stations other than ourselves in the Icecast Directory, Steamcast, Shoutcast or Radionomy, until yesterday when we found a good one called No Lie Radio exclusive to their own website.
There are many licensed NPR and commercial stations simulcasting on streams but our inquiry only sought independent self-standing stations.
Another fact, across all the directories, there are thousands of foreign stations from many countries in many languages mixed together with no clear differentiation, so it takes a long time to figure out what each one is doing.
Most of all there's hit music endlessly and without the relief of voice personalities.
During radio's early years music was viewed as a filler during unsponsored moments between organized dramas and comedy presentations, many stations and networks employing studio musicians for the purpose. I personally knew a woman whose job was organist at an AM station to fill in extra minutes. Now it seems like most streaming radio is 100% filler with no actual programs.
Looping back to talking about No Lie Radio, it is not obvious where they are located nor who is running the operation, and they don't mention having part 15 transmitters like we do at KDX, but despite all that their website is well organized and displays a lot of planning.