Radio industry unveils online player
The BBC and commercial radio have announced the launch of a standardised online radio player that can stream more than 400 stations.
The joint initiative, developed by the BBC, RadioCentre, Global Radio and Guardian Media Group, aims to offer every licensed UK radio station including all BBC radio services.
The player will be available through individual radio station websites and has a standard look and functionality.
It will be initially available through desktop computers before being rolled out for smartphones and other web-enabled portable devices.
The unveiling of the radio player follows discussions between the BBC and commercial radio chiefs on possible cross-sector digital initiatives. This is the first joint initiative developed by the Radio Council which was setup in April.
Separately, Ford Ennals has been named the first chief executive of switchover body Digital Radio UK.
Ennals, who led the digital TV switchover as the former head of Digital UK, will lead the company setup to help the industry – BBC and commercial radio as well as multiplex operator Arqiva – meet the 2015 target provisionally set out in the Digital Britain report for the upgrade from analogue to digital.
