What do people in Palisade have in common with people in, say, Ecuador, or Belgium, or the world?   The answer:  They can listen on-line to Mixed Bag Radio, a hobby station in Grand Junction.

For Jordan Long his Internet station is a dream come true.

Talking with Long, 26, is an introduction to another dimension on the computer.

Long emphasized that Internet radio, including his station which offers music, sports, and some commentary, can be heard on-line 24 hours a day, “Anywhere.”

For Long, it is a hobby and potentially a home business.  He does not run advertising, for now.

Radionomy

“Radionomy,” a company located in Brussels, Belgium, provides the free service that enables individuals to create a radio station.  The word Radionomy is a combination of “radio” and “autonomy”.

Radionomy’s website says stations “are produced and run by real people such as artists, music fans, DJs, opinion leaders, comedians and storytellers.”

The website states, “Millions of listeners around the world listen to thousands of radio stations created on Radionomy.”  It offers a formula for sharing advertising revenue.  To hear Mixed Bag Radio, go to and hit the “listen to this station arrow:”

HTTP://WWW.RADIONOMY.COM/EN/RADIO/MIXEDBAGRADIO/INDEX

Mass communication major

Long found out about Internet radio stations while reading how to set up his own radio station.

As a student at Mesa State University, Long majored in Mass Communication.  He found that he liked radio better than TV.  “TV seems canned,” he said.  Radio allows more talk and music, and is “more creative in what you say to people,” he said.

Later, he completed a one-year, on-line American Broadcasting School course.  He learned about software, microphones, how to be a DJ, host a talk radio, report news and weather, “everything.”  “It was well worth it,” he said.  “You learned every job on a radio station.  People in the industry were the instructors.”

Mixed Bag Radio is “a way for me to grow my skills and practice them,” he said, and noted that it allows him to pursue his degree in Mass Communication.

At the moment, the station is a hobby, and, “I don’t know where it’s going to go.”  Long takes comments and requests at mixedbagradio@yahoo.com.

Long enjoys programming.  His business card lists, “Rock, Hip Hop, Rap, and All of Today’s Hit Music,” plus Entertainment and News.  He can monitor how many people are listening, and where they are located.  “Someone from Ecuador, for instance,” he said.

Colorado news, therefore, might not fit most of the audience, he pointed out.  “It’s hard to do because I don’t know who’s really listening,”   For instance, some aren’t likely to be following the Colorado Rockies, he quipped.

Listening to music on Mixed Bag Radio wearing good headphones is a treat.  The headphone sound and the music create another world.

Perhaps the concept of Internet radio isn’t so “foreign,” after all, considering that someone with computer skills can start a public website, which might resemble Peach Town News in Palisade.

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