Radioplayer announces Italian expansion

Radioplayer, the international non-profit radio platform, has teamed up with a consortium of Italian broadcasters to launch Radioplayer Italia.

The Radioplayer app, smart-speaker integrations, and in-car interfaces will offer 44 million Italian radio listeners a quicker, easier, and more innovative way of streaming radio, podcasts, and on-demand content from hundreds of Italian stations.

A licensing agreement has been signed in Milan between PER Srl – an organisation that includes all the national and local Italian radio stations – and Radioplayer, the official industry-backed radio platform. Radioplayer technology is already in use in 10 other countries, with more major European territories to be announced within weeks.

In addition, Italian stations will join the international Radioplayer data feed that powers the hybrid radio interfaces in many Audi, VW and Porsche cars. These smart devices can switch automatically between DAB, FM, and streaming, to keep listeners locked in to their favourite radio stations. Partnerships with other major car companies are being explored.

Radioplayer Managing Director Michael Hill commented: “Italy is not only a nation of radio lovers, but also a major car manufacturing centre, and one of the top automotive markets in Europe. That’s why this is such a welcome new partnership for Radioplayer – we’re determined to keep radio strong in the car, and we’ll do it by working closely with broadcasters and car companies in great European countries like Italy”.

PER srl President Lorenzo Suraci said: “Today is the beginning of a cooperation that gives strength and protection online to one common interest – the radio. Soon our listeners will have unified access to hundreds of radio stations available on all devices: mobile, desktop, incar and in-house. Radio is a powerful media and in constant evolution.”

Unlike other radio aggregation models, Radioplayer is non-profit, and each system is specific to the country in which it is launched. There are shared technical standards for the browser Radioplayers, the radio-discovery apps, and the back-end systems which power them, but broadcasters retain control over their own branding, streaming, and commercial deals.

PER Director Michele Gulinucci added: “We look forward to releasing Radioplayer Italia as soon as possible on all digital platforms: connected cars, smart speakers, smart watches, smart TVs, Wifi speakers, smartphones, tablets, and PCs. Importantly, all the content is direct from the broadcaster, with no additional advertising. Radio evolves by being itself.”

Notes to editors

For more press information about Radioplayer please contact: coral.williamson@radiocentre.org.

About Radioplayer Worldwide

The 11 countries Radioplayer operates in are: UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, Ireland, Austria, Norway, Belgium, Switzerland, Peru, Denmark. More will follow shortly. Radioplayer Worldwide, the global shared radio platform, is a partnership between UK Radioplayer and the countries which have rolled out the Radioplayer model. It was created to explore opportunities for international technological collaboration across radio. For more see www.radioplayerworldwide.org or follow @rpworldwide on Twitter.

About UK Radioplayer

Radioplayer, the official pan-industry platform, launched in 2011 in a ground-breaking partnership between the BBC and commercial radio. The not-for-profit organisation now features around 500 UK radio stations – including all BBC national and local services, all major commercial stations, and a selection of community and student radio. For more information see www.radioplayer.co.uk or follow @ukradioplayer on Twitter.