Something cool that is either new to, or made easier by, iTunes 11 is streaming select online radio within the iTunes app.
Every Thursday, we record our radio talk show, Small Dog Speaks, on local station WDEV in Waterbury, VT. Normally, we office-folk listen when it airs from 1-2pm, so when 1:00 rolls around, we put on our headphones and listen via WDEV’s online stream. It takes up bandwidth for each of us to do that, so it makes sense to listen to it collectively on our “Fishbowl” speakers. (For those of you who don’t know, our “Fishbowl” is one big office here at our headquarters in Waitsfield.)
Most days, the Fishbowl speakers are run from Don’s computer (Reggae Thursday, anyone?), which utilizes the AirPort Express we have plugged into the office sound system. The tricky thing about the Apple AirPort Express is that you are only able to play music from your iTunes library, though. (Apple is sneaky smart that way.) You aren’t able to play anything from around the web through the AirPort Express (i.e. Spotify, Pandora, YouTube).
So — if you’d like to stream a radio station through iTunes, Apple has actually made it pretty simple. A lot of radio station’s websites have links that will automatically open in iTunes and begin playing. But if that doesn’t happen, there’s a pretty simple way to make it so.
On most streamable webpages you are given the option to stream in HTML or Flash; for this, choose HTML. When that opens, copy the link from the address bar. Open iTunes and choose “Open Stream” under the “File” menu (or Command U). Paste the web address into that dialog window. Boom — you’re done. Your radio show should begin playing through the iTunes window.
Enjoy through your headphones, or if you have that nifty AirPort Express, play through the speakers for all to hear and enjoy!