BBC Worldwide is planning to launch a targeted web music service from early next year, tapping the corporation's vast audio archive that includes the Old Grey Whistle Test, the John Peel Sessions and the Six Music hub.
Users will be able to stream tracks for free with the ad-funded service from BBC Worldwide, the corporation's commercial arm. Digital rights managementt-free tracks, which will play across any brand of media player, will be available for download to own.
The streaming and downloads service will also include hundreds of tracks recorded as part of the BBC's exclusive deal to cover Glastonbury, as well as a bank of sessions recorded as part of the Radio 1 Live Lounge.
BBC Worldwide's first major online music initiative will initially offer more than 1,300 tracks and videos from BBC radio and TV shows.
But it will eventually be expanded to offer the full BBC music archive of more than 50,000 tracks and 3,000 hours of video.
The as yet unnamed service will also be able to offer all new music content as soon its broadcast rights for the BBC end, including content from the iPlayer.
A BBC Worldwide spokesman confirmed the project was in development, saying the organisation is "exploring a range of opportunities around direct-to-consumer websites and the utilisation of the BBC music archive along with other web content".
However, he added that the project has not yet been approved for launch.
BBC Worldwide signed a partnership with EMI in June to provide online access to content by the music label's artists in the BBC archive and is negotiating with three other major labels - Warner, Sony BMG and Universal.
The service requires approval from the BBC Worldwide board, which is expected to consider the project in the next few weeks. It is expected to launch fully in the first half of 2009.
BBC Worldwide's new online service would be based at a standalone web address, with display advertising as well as ads before, during and after video content.
A source said the service would be "built in an open way so that it would connect with the web music ecosystem".
The site's developers were aiming to build the service so that it could "reflect the discussion about music in other parts of the web", including connecting with users' social networking profiles and with recommendation services such as Last.fm.
BBC Worldwide will be keen to characterise the service as a unique offering that does not compete with commercial rivals such as Apple's dominant iTunes store, Amazon, or Sky's planned music retail offering.
The project will not be subject to the BBC Trust's public value or market impact tests applied to new licence fee-funded services because BBC Worldwide operates as an independent, commercial organisation.
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