BBC to launch internet radio player with commercial stations
UK Radioplayer will offer 400 stations in deal with the Radio Centre, Global Radio and Guardian Media Group
The BBC is to launch a radio player allowing internet users to listen to more than 400 commercial and BBC stations.
Tim Davie, BBC director of audio and music, said today that the project would give web users access to more than 400 Ofcom-licensed national and local UK stations, in an initiative involving partnerships with the commercial radio trade body the Radio Centre, Global Radio and Guardian Media Group. Davie added that the move was a "first step" in the BBC forming such partnerships.
Global Radio is the UK's biggest commercial radio company, owning brands including Classic FM, Capital, Heart and LBC. GMG Radio operates the Smooth and Real Radio station networks.
Due for launch early next year, The UK Radioplayer will be a pop-up console able to stream more than 400 national, local, community and student radio stations, offering a unique, constantly-updated live and on-demand audio service, according to the BBC.
The UK Radioplayer Explained
During a presentation at the Manchester Media Festival today, Davie displayed images of what the service might look like, with embeddable widgets for websites and a localised search facility to seek out content by postcode.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xTuWlCjhwo&feature=player_embedded"]BBC announces launch of radio player - Sarah Hartley interviews Tim Davie. [/ame]
The slides showed the player being transferrable across social networking sites such as Facebook, as well across blogs and other webSarah Hartley interviews Tim Davie.sites.
Listeners will be able to search every station on the UK Radioplayer network, identifying news programmes, sports highlights, musical genres or even individual songs, using a new search engine designed for radio. Users can store their favourite stations on preset buttons.
"This is a really exciting development and a result of focussed, collaborative thinking within the radio industry," said Davie. "The aim of this service is to grow listening across the industry and help preserve radio's unique position."
The BBC said it had signed heads of terms for the UK Radioplayer project with the Radio Centre, Global Radio and GMG, which publishes MediaGuardian.co.uk.
Ashley Tabor, Global Group founder and chief executive, said: "Radioplayer has been developed with the listener in mind and is a big step forward for the radio industry as a whole, providing further cohesion between commercial radio and the BBC as we drive to digital."
Andrew Harrison, the Radio Centre's chief executive, added: "The Radioplayer brings together all of the UK's radio output in one online console. This is a breakthrough for listeners and an attractive new proposition for advertisers."
GMG Radio's chief executive, Stuart Taylor, said: "This collaborative project reflects the industry's commitment to an improved user experience for radio online as IP enabled devices proliferate. The new opportunities for advertisers will add to the growing number of cross platform solutions already in place."
Coverage of the two-day Manchester Media Festival continues here and also on Twitter – follow Sarah Hartley @foodiesarah and the tag #tmf09.
Sarah Hartley
Thursday 19 November 2009 12.36 GMT
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2009
UK Radioplayer will offer 400 stations in deal with the Radio Centre, Global Radio and Guardian Media Group
The BBC is to launch a radio player allowing internet users to listen to more than 400 commercial and BBC stations.
Tim Davie, BBC director of audio and music, said today that the project would give web users access to more than 400 Ofcom-licensed national and local UK stations, in an initiative involving partnerships with the commercial radio trade body the Radio Centre, Global Radio and Guardian Media Group. Davie added that the move was a "first step" in the BBC forming such partnerships.
Global Radio is the UK's biggest commercial radio company, owning brands including Classic FM, Capital, Heart and LBC. GMG Radio operates the Smooth and Real Radio station networks.
Due for launch early next year, The UK Radioplayer will be a pop-up console able to stream more than 400 national, local, community and student radio stations, offering a unique, constantly-updated live and on-demand audio service, according to the BBC.
The UK Radioplayer Explained
During a presentation at the Manchester Media Festival today, Davie displayed images of what the service might look like, with embeddable widgets for websites and a localised search facility to seek out content by postcode.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xTuWlCjhwo&feature=player_embedded"]BBC announces launch of radio player - Sarah Hartley interviews Tim Davie. [/ame]
The slides showed the player being transferrable across social networking sites such as Facebook, as well across blogs and other webSarah Hartley interviews Tim Davie.sites.
Listeners will be able to search every station on the UK Radioplayer network, identifying news programmes, sports highlights, musical genres or even individual songs, using a new search engine designed for radio. Users can store their favourite stations on preset buttons.
"This is a really exciting development and a result of focussed, collaborative thinking within the radio industry," said Davie. "The aim of this service is to grow listening across the industry and help preserve radio's unique position."
The BBC said it had signed heads of terms for the UK Radioplayer project with the Radio Centre, Global Radio and GMG, which publishes MediaGuardian.co.uk.
Ashley Tabor, Global Group founder and chief executive, said: "Radioplayer has been developed with the listener in mind and is a big step forward for the radio industry as a whole, providing further cohesion between commercial radio and the BBC as we drive to digital."
Andrew Harrison, the Radio Centre's chief executive, added: "The Radioplayer brings together all of the UK's radio output in one online console. This is a breakthrough for listeners and an attractive new proposition for advertisers."
GMG Radio's chief executive, Stuart Taylor, said: "This collaborative project reflects the industry's commitment to an improved user experience for radio online as IP enabled devices proliferate. The new opportunities for advertisers will add to the growing number of cross platform solutions already in place."
Coverage of the two-day Manchester Media Festival continues here and also on Twitter – follow Sarah Hartley @foodiesarah and the tag #tmf09.
Sarah Hartley
Thursday 19 November 2009 12.36 GMT
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2009
