OfCom boss Stephen Carter has told the radio industry he might force the BBC to open up its vast radio archives, giving commercial stations the rights to broadcast classic comedies, dramas, sports events and music recordings.
Carter says more than 750,000 programmes currently sit in the BBC archives, vastly more than could ever be made available via the BBC's own network of radio stations - even with the advent of digital services like BBC7 and their on-demand web radio service. He says that if commercial digital stations were able to access those archives it would help drive bigger audiences to digital radio, as well as providing the BBC with an extra revenue stream to support new programmes.
Carter does not go as far as former Sky boss Tony Ball, who once told the Edinburgh TV Festival that the Beeb should have to sell off all of its mainstream brands to commercial players. However Carter is keen to see the Corporation open up its archives, and if necessary might push for such a move to be made an obligation when the BBC renews its charter in 2006.
Talking of digital radio, which we will be at the Music Works convention on 29 Oct don't forget (http://www.musicworksUK.com), OfCom have said they will not rush into setting a switch-off date for analogue radio signals, despite being keen to get the switch-off of analogue TV broadcasts under way.
Speaking to an industry audience, Carter said that a deadline for analogue radio switch-off wouldn't be helpful just yet, pointing out that the number of households with digital radio is still tiny, while over half of households have digital TV. Of course, many people use those digital TVs to tune into digital radio stations, and digital radio is starting to gain pace - meaning some of those commercial players who are investing heavily in digital radio won't be too happy by Carter's "take it slowly" approach. That said, those commercial players bidding for the new analogue licences still being advertising by OfCom might be less keen to talk about when the licences they are yet to win (or even apply for) will become obsolete.