About Radio Quality

Radio Quality aims to become the acknowledged home of intelligent radio on the internet.

We believe in high quality speech-based radio. This is not 'talk radio'. It's original features made by commentators, writers, broadcasters or journalists (whatever they like to call themselves). Or maybe by you!

Here is our philosophy. We don't want to dumb-down subject matter and we don't want to talk down to people. We believe that listeners are always open to learning and critical understanding. And indeed, a critique from an interesting commentator does not necessarily require them to be an expert in the field, just to raise intelligent comments and observations.

At present, Radio Quality is in a prototype phase, but still offers a range of radio packages available on-demand over the internet. After the full launch there will be a wider range of features, more regular updates and improvements in the technology used including a menu system to allow the selection of several radio features from the website, which can then be streamed as a continuous program or downloaded as an MP3 file for offline listening. We also plan a 'personal programme' feature where you will be able to select a variety of short audio snacks then download your selection as an one or a set of MP3s.

So far, the prototype phase is progressing well. The domain names for 'radio-quality' at both .co.uk and .com have been acquired. We have high placement for relevant searches on most leading search engines.

We now have a claim to be the leading non-public funded (indeed, at present entirely non-funded) provider of general speech-based programming on the internet. Our aim now is to find more contributors and to continue to improve our content.

We realise that the potential, at least for a few years, for internet based 'leisure' listening is still rather limited. But we are getting a great response for focused listening (such as a review of a film that you are thinking of seeing) and intend to build on this as the cost and ease of internet access continues to fall.

Radio is still very much alive and will be enhanced rather than restricted by internet technology.

In the UK and elsewhere in the world, the market for intelligent radio is so small as to be almost non-existent; some of my work is also broadcast on BBC Radio - a rare jewel in the broadcasting universe.

I have set up this website as a distribution point for quality radio. But, although radio is our raison d'etre, we are a mutimedia production. I would encourage you to appreciate the ability of Radio Quality to put speech, text and images into an exciting and stimulating blend. Of special note are the many original photographs on our travel pages from Laure Divisia which greatly enhance the written and audio features. See for instance what I think is one of the best images on the web from the 'Highest train in the world'.

Please listen, read and email me to let me know what you think. If you have an interest in radio or writing of the type you see here, I will be glad to link to your site or to publish your work if it fits in with our philosophy.

Stuart Astill - Founder and editor of radio quality