The BBC has launched iPlayer Radio as a dedicated home for its suite of radio stations on desktop and mobile devices offering live-streaming or on-demand programming.

BBC iPlayer Radio delivers live radio alongside videos, clips, downloads, social media feeds via a desktop portal and mobile apps, an iOS one at launch with an Android version to follow, as increasing numbers of people access the service via mobile devices.

The broadcaster has reported BBC radio listening across mobile and tablet devices has risen significantly over the past 12 months and that monthly iPlayer requests for radio have increased 56% year-on-year to 2.8m on mobile, and 300% to 1.2m on tablet.

Features included in the smartphone and tablet apps include an alarm function waking people for their favourtie programming, such as the Today Programme, a touchscreen dial letting users browse stations and the opportunity to share tracks with friends via their social networks, (see video below).

The BBC has also issued a release claiming that in the coming months it will include more content directly from station DJs and presenters to create “a two-way conversation between audience and studio.”

Mark Friend, BBC Audio & Music controller, multiplatform and interactive, said, “BBC iPlayer Radio is the platform on which we will develop radio stations as fully multimedia brands so that as well as listen, audiences will be able to watch, share and engage with BBC radio.

“Our next steps will be to make live radio more interactive, make it easier for people to enjoy the BBC’s vast audio archive and strengthen radio’s position as the number one place for discovering music in the UK.”

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BBC