A three month content trial for the BBC's interactive Media Player (iMP) will begin in September 2005.

The iMP is designed to provide a way for licence fee payers to catch up on TV and radio programmes from the past seven days that they may have missed. The iMP operates over broadband internet connections using peer-to-peer technology. Digital rights management tools are employed to prevent unauthorised viewing.

In the trial to begin in September, 190 hours of TV programmes, 310 hours of radio programmes, local programming and rights-cleared movies will be made available via the iMP to 5,000 trialists.

"iMP could just be the iTunes for the broadcast industry, enabling our audience to access our TV and radio programmes on their terms - anytime, any place, any how - Martini Media," said the BBC's director of new media and technology, Ashley Highfield. "We'll see what programmes appeal in this new world and how people search, sort, snack and savour our content in the broadband world."