Uses of college radio station web sites : an exploratory study

This study is a baseline investigation into the uses of college radio station websites. The study was conducted via on-line survey with college radio stations around the United States. The survey was constructed following the uses and gratifications approach. The findings reveal that users who surf college radio siteswant the sites to have audio streaming so they can hear the broadcast signal over the Internet. Users also include entertainment and music as reasons to visit the sites. The main reason people use these sites is to check on the music. Patronsalso value being able to download music clips to sample the artists being played on the air. College radio has long been known for its relationship to the music thestations play. College radio stations have been known to develop music scenes around the artists and bands the stations play. Apparently people who use theInternet sites of the stations also want to keep this sort of relationship to the music and artists.