RadioActive wrote:

It's not that unusual that a broadcast group like iHeart offers listeners multiple format choices on its websites. But you don't often see it being done by a small local station in a place like Topeka, Kansas. WREN has been around for 100 years and has begun streaming music covering all different parts of the modern era - from the 50s and 60s on one stream, to the 70s and 80s on another and modern tunes from the 2000s. 

• "WREN Oldies Radio" launched in February 2012, playing music from the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s
• "Lazerlive" launched in 2015 and plays music from the 1970s and 1980s.
• "The Heartbeat" plays country music that ranges from the early 1950s to the late 1980s.
• In early November 2022, a fourth station dubbed "The Mix" debuted, playing a wide variety of 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s hits.

But the four different choices come with a twist - many of them feature actual live hosts. Not even iHeart really does that. "The station has DJs live from 1-4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 6-11 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and 2-6 p.m. Sunday." They even take actual requests.

Not sure how the jocks filling those shifts feel about going out on a live stream over such a small station in addition to their on-air shifts, but it must be worth their while - in the few minutes I listened, the online outlets don't seem to be short on commercials. 

It's an interesting idea to bring in more ears for their ads. But is it ultimately worth the money? Either way, it's increasingly clear that the future of radio may not be on radio at all. 

Check it out here.

Wow.  They still offer a RealPlayer stream.  I can't remember the last time I saw (or wanted) that.  Good for them though.  It's an interesting concept.