Soma FM ThistleRadio

SomaFM is an independent, listener-supported internet radio operation founded in San Francisco. Its name references both Aldous Huxley's 1932 novel Brave New World and the South of Market district of San Francisco. The station originated as a micropower broadcast at the Burning Man festival in 1999, launched as a full-time internet radio station in February 2000, and has since grown to encompass more than thirty distinct themed channels spanning ambient, electronic, alternative, jazz, and international genres. Programming across all channels is curated by staff DJs and music directors rather than generated algorithmically. SomaFM became a significant participant in early debates over internet radio royalty policy. In May 2002, new royalty rates established under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act threatened the station's financial viability, leading to a temporary shutdown in June 2002. After Rusty Hodge and other webcasters testified before Congress, the Small Webcaster Settlement Act of 2002 was enacted, enabling SomaFM to negotiate a more sustainable royalty rate and resume broadcasting in November 2002. In 2005, the station partnered with Orban to stream to 3GPP-compatible mobile devices, making it among the first internet broadcasters to support 3G and EDGE mobile streaming. ThistleRadio is one of SomaFM's curated channels, focusing on Celtic and Scottish folk music traditions.