Local online radio adds two new formats
–The Voice of Paso (VOP), the local internet radio station (www.VoiceOfPaso.com) that achieved local prominence last year when it broadcasted Paso Robles High School football, is now three radio stations in one. According to VOP owner Steve Martin, the classic rock format will be augmented with country-western and jazz channels. Listeners can now choose from VOP-Country, VOP-Oldies and VOP-California Jazz. Each station broadcasts on its own stream, accessible at VoiceOfPaso.Com or with Internet radio apps such as TuneIn and Live365.com. They may also be heard on smartphones, laptops and through car radios via Bluetooth connection. Furthermore, many home entertainment devices such as Roku may be used to bring the signals into music systems.
“This is huge,” said Martin. “We started off a year ago, filling the gap to broadcast local sports when other stations elected to drop the Bearcats. There was skepticism in the beginning, but people soon learned how easy it is to tune in. And now we have listeners from all over the country and even some from overseas. Often it’s folks with school or family ties to Paso Robles who love to listen in. Now, with the new formats, we can offer more audiences more musical choices.”
Martin said for now all the sponsors who started with the original VOP will have commercials aired on all three channels. Paso Robles High School athletics will be carried on the VOP-Country channel, leaving the other channels available for other sports programming.
“We’re also Livestreaming video of Bearcat games,” said Martin, “so folks can hear the games and see them at the same time. This is an exciting addition and a model we intend to use to increase local coverage.”
