Henry Ivy will present his paper on Small-Scale Online Radio stations (SSORs). There has been substantive growth among small-scale, online radio stations (SSORs) across Europe in recent years. SSORs are a distinct, emerging type of cultural and media institution and represent a new form of radio broadcasting that appeared in the mid-2010s. These stations share four distinct characteristics: (1) They are local or ‘hyperlocal’: identified with a particular city, town, or region. (2) They broadcast exclusively online without licensing. (3) They operate on a voluntary basis and rely upon donations and fundraising to cover running costs. (4) Personnel tend to be drawn directly from local music and arts communities with stations serving as local hubs for creative industries. 

SSORs also tend to emphasise inclusion and accessibility and foster a sense of community. Stations can be entry points into creative industries for young people and their lower barriers to entry are especially significant for groups historically excluded or under-represented in music and related industries. SSORs operate with little, if any, commercial or public investment, run primarily via voluntary support and depend entirely on commercial platforms (e.g., SoundCloud, MixCloud) to broadcast and archive content. Our paper traces the development of SSORs across Europe by positioning them within a larger media landscape and emphasising their underappreciated role in fostering new cultural, political, and interpersonal infrastructures.