BBC Working on New Music Streaming Service -

BBC Working on New Music Streaming Service - 

A new music streaming service currently being worked on by the BBC will give UK licence feepayers free access to thousands of songs similar to that of Swedishbased service, Spotify. 

According to reports the music player will be the BBC'S musicequivalent of iPlayer, dubbed Playlister the service will beavailable without paying any additional fees.

The idea has been discussed by the BBC in the past but problemshave arose when attempting to clear rights for the music. However,it is now understood that the company are in talks with Spotify andmusic services such as Deezer and Apple's iTunes in an effort toside-step the problem.

The Playlister, which is scheduled for launch either later thisyear or in early 2013, is being headed up by Tim Davie, the BBC'sdirector of Audio & Music.  

A spokesman said:

"The BBC is regularly in conversation with digital musicproviders about how we strengthen radio's position as the numberone place for discovering music in the UK".

The BBC aren't the only media powerhouse planning a move intodigital music streaming, last month it was reported that Apple aredeveloping a service that will rival Spotify and Pandora. TheiTunes creators are apparently in the primitive stages ofnegotiating with record labels worldwide over the planned newservice.