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The BBC-backed online initiative Radioplayer launched today, bringing the UK’s public and commercial radio stations onto the web.
The service launched with 157 radio stations, growing to 228 with the addition of Bauer Media and UTV Media stations over the next week.
In subsequent weeks a raft of additional radio stations will join the service including Planet Rock and Manx Radio, as well as "hundreds of local, regional, student and community radio stations," the firm announced.
"Radioplayer will benefit the entire UK radio industry – BBC, commercial, and all Ofcom-licensed community, hospital and student radio," said Radioplayer chairman Andrew Harrison.
"Every station on Radioplayer will be one click away from every other station, and listeners will have the ability to search the whole of UK radio, discovering exciting new content."
The Radioplayer will use the audio streams untouched, also allowing commercial operators to add sponsorship and advertising to the Radioplayer ‘skins’ of the pop-up Radioplayer window.
Radioplayer is also expected to appear on mobile devices including smartphones and tablets although the firm didn’t announce any time line for the release of those.
The firm claims that the initial launch will have a ‘cumulative internet reach’ of nearly 3.5 million users.
