Virgin Extends Podcasts With Direct Mobile Downloads

Virgin Radio is to extend its podcasting activities by providing content direct to listeners’ mobile phones, side-stepping the PC and the iPod to reach directly into the pockets of consumers.

Following the development of Virgin’s online radio streaming to mobiles last year (see Virgin Hails Success Of Mobile Internet Radio), the new system allows anyone with an internet-enabled mobile to download the station’s latest podcasts for consumption on the move.

Virgin’s latest offering, dubbed “mobcasts” by the station, have been created in partnership with software firm Spodradio, and are expected to significantly increase the reach of the Christian O’Connell, Geoff Lloyd and Al Murray podcasts, already downloaded over 100,000 times each month.

“Podcasting is one of the hottest developments in radio, and we’ve just raised the bar even higher with this innovation,” explained James Cridland, director of digital media at Virgin Radio.

“By bringing mobcasts to radio fans wherever they are in the country, we’re making our medium more accessible and will be able to command even greater audience figures. No-one else is giving consumers this control over radio content and we’re proud to be setting the standard for digital radio firsts.”

The service will launch this month, with listeners able to download the Spodradio software free of charge from www.virginradio.co.uk. In addition to offering direct podcast downloads, the mobile software allows users to tune into Virgin Radio, Virgin Radio Classic Rock, Virgin Radio Xtreme and Virgin Radio Groove wherever they are, using streaming via GPRS or UMTS.

Virgin Radio: 020 7434 1215 www.virginradio.co.uk