Internet radio vs FM: what changes for listeners

Guide · 369.FM · Updated August 2026

FM radio is tied to geography and transmitters. Internet radio is tied to bandwidth and the broadcaster’s streaming setup. Neither replaces the other completely — they solve different listening moments.

Coverage

FM is excellent in a car across a city you know. Internet radio wins when you want a station from another country, a niche genre channel, or the same public broadcaster while travelling. Directories like 369.FM exist because the hard part is discovery, not only pressing play.

Sound and delay

Online streams can be near-live or delayed by seconds to a minute depending on encoding and buffering. That rarely matters for music; it can matter for live sports or time signals. Quality varies by station bitrate — some streams are intentionally light for mobile networks.

Discovery

FM discovery is scanning the dial. Online discovery is search, regions, genres, and editorial shortlists. 369.FM leans into that second model: fewer mystery frequencies, more labelled choices with country and genre context.

When to choose which

Try international stations on 369.FM