Democratizing Radio
Innovation & Tech Today|Volume 8 / Issue 3
Ryan Star’s Stationhead is Revolutionizing the Streaming Experience.
Aron Vaughan
Democratizing Radio

The democratization of media has been happening for over a decade. Gone are the days when despotic gatekeepers would single-handedly choose who lives or dies in the entertainment industry. Now, if you have the talent, you can simply upload content to one of the almost infinite number of platforms available to the public. Want to get your name out there as the world's greatest steel drum percussionist? Get a friend or passerby to upload your street performance to TikTok. Come up with a solution to the latest political news story in your shower? Podcast about it on Patreon.

Of course, there are still traditional avenues that artists can pursue to boost their brand like the ever-popular American Idol and America's Got Talent, but the best performers inevitably transcend the platform and make the rounds on social media anyway.

Former Rockstar: Supernova contestant, recording artist and Stationhead founder Ryan Star has been on both sides of the media machine, first toiling away as a cog under the watchful eye of the almighty gatekeeper, and eventually finding freedom from the archaic mechanics of it. Star has reinvented himself as an entrepreneur on a mission to unscrew the last nuts and bolts from the rust-stricken mechanized beast that is traditional media.

From Consumer to Creator

Stationhead is a social audio app that turns its users into streaming radio DJs. Fans all over the globe come to host stations, stream live together and talk, chat and celebrate their favorite artists.

The idea behind Stationhead is to democratize and recapture the personality of traditional radio broadcasts the kind of conversation and personal connection that's missing from a playlist.

"They don't want gatekeepers," said Star. "They don't want Spotify algorithms telling them what to play. They want their people having an experience with them."

This story is from the Volume 8 / Issue 3 edition of Innovation & Tech Today.

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This story is from the Volume 8 / Issue 3 edition of Innovation & Tech Today.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.