"Really big moment" for BBC radio online

The BBC will increase the bitrate at which some of its radio networks are streamed online as part of the integration of audio content into the new version of iPlayer.

Mark Friend, the BBC's controller of multiplatform at audio and music interactive, described the integration of radio into iPlayer as "a really big moment" building on the existing BBC Radio Player, which has served half a billion hours of content since its 2002 debut.

Bitrates for some networks will be increased to 128kbps, and - as revealed in a March Radio Labs blog post - the services will be available in formats other than the existing Real streams. Those streams, however, will continue to be available to ensure that consumers using devices such as Real-only internet radios are still able to listen to the BBC's radio services online.

Friend added that the BBC has "worked hard with rights holders" to be able to offer iPlayer users the same rewind and fast forward opportunities across television and radio programming. Currently, users are permitted to jump by 5 or 15 minute chunks through programmes; when the new version of iPlayer is deployed in beta tomorrow, users will have full playback control over all radio content.