Digital Radio Downloads Planned

Music fans could soon be able to download their favourite tunes over digital radio under plans from UBC Media. The owner of Classic Gold analogue and digital stations is investing in technology to let listeners push a button on their radio and transfer songs to their computer.

The radio group hopes to make the service available within the next year in a bid to cash in on the music downloading revolution.

The service would let radio listeners "impulse buy" songs at a price that was likely to be competitive with online music stores, finance director Jenny Donald said.

"We think it is a most compelling way to buy music, much more compelling than someone who gets an iPod and crawls all over the internet looking for music for it, she said.

"You are listening to the tune, you like it, it only costs about a quid and you can just push a button to download it."

UBC, which also produces programmes for BBC radio, hopes to announce partners in the music and radio industries for the venture shortly.

It will initially team up with one radio station to offer the service.

The company will invest £400,000 in the move, hitting profits in the current financial year.

It confirmed results for the year to March 31 2005 were in line with market expectations, after saying in March that underlying operating profits should break even.

Story source: sky.com.