BBC Worldwide has confirmed reports that it is looking to set up
a
streaming and download music service using its extensive
collection of studio and live recordings.
The proposed site would allow visitors free streaming of radio
and TV sessions, while charging for downloaded tracks that could be
kept on users' PC and mobile devices.
The service would distribute only BBC versions of tracks and not
original studio recordings.
Despite this, considering the extent of the BBC pop and
classical musical archive, and
Nokia's recently launched mobile music service in partnership
with Carphone Warehouse, Apple can expect even more competition to
its iTunes service.
A
BBC spokesman confirmed the planned service to industry mouthpiece
MusicWeek.com. He said, "We are looking at setting up in the
direct-to-consumer arena a website which utilises the BBC music
archive, but at this point no such launch has been approved."
BBC commercial arm BBC Worldwide, however, is said to have
already struck a deal with EMI to use recordings of its artists on
the site, and is in talks with the other major record labels about
doing do.
If the site does get off the ground, it is expected that free
streaming of tracks will be supported by advertising.