Post your WebRadio finds! - Listener supported and Ad free :-)

[MikeyFresh]

The Jazz Groove has been one of my favorite streaming radio stations since I first discovered it on moOde long ago. 

Recently, I've been receiving emails from them (I suppose because I actually make donations to them from time to time) alerting me that they are restricting free access. A recent message began

Dear Jazz Groove Listener:

You’re receiving this email because our records show you have no active Jazz Groove membership. Beginning this coming Saturday, July 15th, listeners without an active membership will no longer have access to unlimited music. Once you reach the new daily listening cap, your Jazz Groove stream will end and the music will stop.

Why are we doing this? The short answer is: we can no longer afford to subsidize unlimited listening for non-contributors. Find a more detailed explanation here.

Wat does this mean for us? The JazzGroove.org website has this interesting tidbit:

If you hear the audio message that you've reached a 60 minute listening limit, that is happening for one of the below reasons (see solutions to take the next step):

A: You are not a Jazz Groove donor. Listeners who've not donated are not guaranteed listening slots if too many people are listening beyond what our music licenses allow. Solution: Donate

B: You are a Jazz Groove donor but you're not signed into your Jazz Groove account and you are listening at JazzGroove.org or with our mobile app. Solution: Sign In to your JazzGroove account

C: You are a Jazz Groove donor but the device or app you're using to listen is not recognizing your Jazz Groove account (you've likely not set it up). Solution: Click SILENCE FUND DRIVE at JazzGroove.org, select the device you use to listen and follow the easy steps. Don't see your device? We're happy to help get you set up. It usually takes less than 2 minutes. Email us the make and model of the device or app you use to listen and we'll send you instructions. support@jazzgroove.org

In my case, today's the first day I've been listening to our pre-defined Jazz Groove selection with moOde 8.3.3 since the new rules were supposed to come into play. It's been playing constantly for two hours and there has been no interruption to the stream. I guess this means there aren't "too many people listening" at the moment.

Let's suppose you are or become a Jazz Groove Premium Plus member. On the JazzGroove.org site, there's a long list of devices and apps (but not moOde) detailing how to implement that device's or app's equivalent to signing into your account. If you read an entry or two you'll see how to retrieve your personal STREAM URL to a FLAC (!) stream sans fund drive messages. This URL can be edited into the Jazz Groove entry in the Library of your moOde player.

I haven't gotten around to becoming an actual member so can't confirm the personal URL works as advertised but I have no reason to think it won't. Obviously, no one's Premium Plus URL can be built into the moOde distro so the decision of what to do is yours alone. Take your chances listening to the public stream with its possible daily disruption or become a Premium Plus member and do a little editing on your player.

Regards,
Kent

The personal URL available to contributing members works perfectly well in Moode after editing. While their site seems to have a link to a Premium Plus Free Trial, that link goes no where. Upon contacting their support they indicated they aren't offering any Free Trials at the moment, however they were willing to provide a 25% off discount coupon code, so I took them up on that at $7.50/mo. for the time being, and that same coupon would work at $75/yr. (save 16.67% over monthly).