BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra announced plans for a new show that takes advantage of the broadcaster’s digital tools. The new Playlist show will air on Radio 1 and will be available for download on the iPlayer Radio app. Continue Reading
Due to budget restrictions, the BBC has said it will not fund the digital radio switchover for its stations. “We are not convinced of the value for money case for any further such investment, particularly while digital listening remains below 50%, with DAB listening only a proportion of that.” Continue Reading
Jazz FM and the BBC are working together to create a pop-up digital radio station called BBC Music Jazz. The two broadcasters are usually competing for ears, and this is their first collaboration. It will air on DAB radio sets, online, and on the iPlayer from Nov. 12-15, the dates for the EFG London Jazz Festival. Continue Reading
Apple’s Zane Lowe returned to London to participate in the Radio Academy’s Radio Festival. He engaged in a lively conversation with former boss Ben Cooper, controller for Radio 1 and Radio 1 Xtra, about the role of Beats 1 in Apple Music, future of music radio, and about the BBC. Continue Reading
The new digital plans for the BBC aren’t going to be adults-only. Alice Webb, director of BBC Children’s, laid out details of the broadcaster’s Big Digital Plan for Children. That plan includes the expected launch a new iPlayer aimed specifically at content for kids. Continue Reading
Earlier this week, the BBC released its plans for adapting its services to support digital and online media platforms. The report was mostly about the big picture plans, but a new blog post goes into some detail about the vision for a new radio experience. Mark Friend, interactive controller for BBC Radio and Music, explained the goal of letting every listener have their own personalized radio station. “This will be based on understanding what you normally listen to, what you like, what you don’t like and linking this to factors such as time, location and what device you’re listening on,” he said. Continue Reading
Earlier this week, the BBC unveiled its commitment to making its service more Internet-friendly, including plans for a streaming music service. Geoff Taylor, CEO of the BPI, addressed this as-yet non-existent streaming service by demanding that it pay to license the songs whenever it does come to be. “The starting point for some of the BBC’s suggestions around how such a service might work involved launching such a service but paying no money for it – and I just don’t think that’s viable,” Taylor said. Continue Reading
In its latest report, the BBC has outlined its approach to adapting to an increasingly online media landscape. The broadcaster laid out a ten-year plan that aims to equally cater to those people who have gone all-in on digital services and to those who still prefer to use traditional channels. “We will be moving to an Internet-fit BBC, to be ready for an Internet-only world whenever it comes,” the report said. Continue Reading
The BBC Trust, governing body for the BBC, recently provided guidance on what content the organization’s radio stations can put online prior to the actual broadcasts. Based on the new rules, the BBC can put speech-based programs online up to one week ahead of their air time. However, music radio programs will not be allowed to appear online first. Continue Reading
The BBC announced that it has expanded its DAB coverage. Over the past two months, the broadcaster has added 11 sites to its list of supported stations. Its end goal is to cover 97% of the population by the end of 2015. Continue Reading
Average listeners tuned in to BBC radio for 10 hours a week during the last quarter of 2014, according to official data from the UK broadcaster. That figure marked a drop of 14 percent from a decade earlier, when that average figure was 11.6 hours a week for the period. A representative from the broadcaster noted that although the interest among listeners is still high, many are tuning in through online or digital platforms that are not accounted for in the BBC’s traditional listening data. Continue Reading
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THIS WEEK: Streaming surpasses CD sales in 2014 RIAA report; iTunes Radio goes to programmatic sales; Rdio’s new social features; Rhapsody plays on Twitter; BBC seeks to reinvent radio. Continue Reading