by CHANTAL MARTINEAU

As even the most technically illiterate among us learn to use our computers as entertainment centres, online radio stations are finding bigger and more diverse audiences. As in the rest of the world, listeners in Montreal are discovering they don't have to settle for the Top 40 status quo.

"It's been five years that we're on the Internet doing a hip hop show," says Chad Damord of www.Montreal- Underground.com, a hip hop and urban music station. "We started out just for fun, but things picked up steam. Before we were just doing Quebec hip hop, but now we feature music from France and the rest of the world."

Montreal-Underground is one of about 75 Internet radio stations based in the greater Montreal area, although a good number are non-operational (or nearly so) with only a handful of listeners each month. While ham radio used to be an activity largely reserved for science-fair nerds and the lonely, the Internet now allows anyone with a computer and a microphone to set up a one-man station.

From an all-Elvis-all-the-time tribute station to a Webcast straight from jail, Montreal offerings are varied, though most broadcasts are geared toward music lovers. As terrestrial radio stations turn their focus to mainstream listeners, the Web is quickly becoming the best place to hear the more underground genres.

Beyond the boycotts

"Especially in Quebec, hip hop is largely boycotted on mainstream radio," says Damord. "On the Internet, there are no limits or barriers."

He is one of about 10 DJs who make up the Montreal-Underground team. The station is self-financed for now, with only about one live show per week, but they hope to grow. Broadcasting out of a converted apartment, Damord admits his station is small, yet says his role in Quebec's hip hop scene is important.

Patrick Dumas of the metal and goth Web site www.TheDarkestHours.com has a similar view of his own efforts. "Metal music doesn't play on commercial radio and metal videos don't play on MTV or MuchMusic," he says. "This is the only way besides buying albums and DVDs - or listening to college radio metal shows airing on a Tuesday or Wednesday at midnight or 1 o'clock in the morning - to see the video clips, hear song samples, and so on."

It's the underground genres that thrive on the Internet and the record labels know it. Dumas, unlike most Webcasters, has forged strong relationships with record reps. Not only does he get much of the music he plays for free, he is also able to sell ads on his site to cover costs. Listeners can browse reviews and interviews and even buy CDs online. Also, unlike other Webcasters, all his shows, which can last up to eight hours, are pre-recorded.

"I make my rules, play what I want on my show, make a way longer show than on ‘real' radio and, of course, I'm able to work at home any time of day or night.

"I don't do it for the money. I do it because I love metal. I have metal running in my veins."

Elusive ad dollars

The majority of online radio hosts broadcast through www.Live365.com, the largest existing network of Internet radio stations. For a monthly fee of approximately $20 (U.S.) per month, broadcast enthusiasts from around the world can have a presence on the Web. Because Live365 is an American company, it complies with U.S. regulations. For example, the cost includes a flat fee to cover all royalties.

www.Shoutcast.com is another way to establish your own online station. It features an application that allows Webcasters to stream audio using Winamp, the popular media player. This approach can be pricey, as members are required to purchase enough bandwidth to accommodate the data being streamed, which is in direct correlation to the quality of music files and the number of listeners. Since most people don't have their own servers, the cost of hosting is another expense to consider.

"There is no money in it, it's just a hobby," say Leo Villanova of www.80sEchoLounge.com. "I like '80s music and I enjoy broadcasting. I don't smoke, don't drink - this is my vice."

Because Webcasters don't necessarily broadcast to a local audience, it's difficult to sell airtime to advertisers. Montreal-based www.RadioHumsafar.com targets South Asians in the city and is able to secure local sponsors. Villanova says less than 10 per cent of his listeners are from Canada and so, like many other Net-radio hosts, he accepts donations on his site. These cover basic costs but not music, although as a major music lover he's buying a lot of it anyway. He has over 3,000 songs to date, and plays them out of his modest home studio. Of course, a number of Webcasters download music from online file sharers as their main source of material.

Kingly profit

Though statistics are hard to compile, the bigger Internet radio stations say they have up to 3,000 listeners per day. Most, however, are only live for a few hours each week. Generally, the live show is recorded then converted into an MP3 or Real Audio file to be archived and listened to on demand. Joanna Johnson, who heads up Elvis Tribute Artist Radio, says of the 3,500 unique visitors the site gets daily, about half are there for the radio show. It airs live on a monthly basis, featuring Elvis impersonators (ahem, tribute artists) from around the world.

"Elvis is a number one seller and impersonators have huge audiences," says Johnson. Her site also turns a profit from ads. "This isn't selfless. It's my livelihood. There's a market for it."

However, for most of Montreal's online broadcasters, the only reward is the ability to share one's thoughts and music with whoever may be listening, wherever they may be.

"The big payoff for me is being able to broadcast programming that attracts an audience from around the world," says Ted Silver, who works at Q92 but decided to launch his own online oldies station (www.radio9.ca) four years ago. "It's a thrill to know you have listeners across North America, as well as Europe and the Middle East."