Music databases in non-commercial community radio stations - requirements, needs and functionality
Historically and to this day, radio is an important medium for bringing music to the people. Music also plays an important role in the programmes of independent, non-commercial radio stations. In contrast to commercial radio programmes, however, community radio stations are not concerned whether the programme can be listened to without any change of atmosphere or whether it has a certain "music sound", but with making diversity and niches audible. Community radio stations want to offer a stage for music and musicians that cannot be heard on commercial radio stations and also receive little airplay on public radio.
The repertoire, in particular the automated part of the music programme, is fed from a central database in most radio stations. The project "Database_d Airplay" deals with the question of what function music databases fulfil for the programme in community radio stations and what framework conditions are required for their use. Two perspectives take centre stage:
- Firstly, how such a database can be filled and how the selection is curated.
- And secondly, how access to it can be organised for the many volunteer radio producers at community radio stations.
Together with representatives of the music scene, experts and radio hosts, the project team discussed how music databases influence the profile of the respective radio station and how they can contribute to the promotion of local and underrepresented music.
The starting point of the study is the situation at the Viennese community radio station ORANGE 94.0, in addition a number of examples from Austria and other countries will be analysed. The results are supposed to bring about scalable conclusions for othe radio stations.
Study presentation: 4 December 2024, 6pm, mica - music austria, Stiftgasse 29, 1070 Vienna
Registration at: office@o94.at (The presentation will be held in German, please let us know in advance in case you need interpretation.)
The study will be available online and as print version from beginning of December.
Project team:
ORANGE 94.0: Johann Redl, Bernhard Staudinger, Fiona Steinert
EDUCULT: Lilian Häge, Anke Schad-Spindler
mica: Franz Hergovich, Sabine Reiter
For more information on the project contact Fiona Steinert programmentwicklung@o94.at
Photo credit: O-Sounds
A cooperation project of
Supported by Rundfunk und Telekom Regulierungs-GmbH. 
