The BBC have announced some new changes coming to the iPlayer, most noticeably that they will begin to make radio shows available to download for a 7-day period after they have aired. The move aims to bring radio in line with TV on the service, as well as hoping to retain visitors and attract younger audiences.

At the time of writing this, iPlayer only allows people to listen to BBC radio content as live audio streams or as a streamable service available for up to seven days after the original airing. The new move will make radio show much more readily available to listeners and will also ill also giving audiences up to 30 days to store a show before opening it, with the seven day limit begin once it has been opened for the first time.

Radio in general has suffered in recent years in terms of listening figures, however the format is far from dead and the BBC look to show this even further by introducing the new set of services for radio. On average, all listener figures for radio have fallen significantly, with the largest demographic of non-radio-listeners falling in the coveted 15 - 24-year-old slot. The BBC are hoping for some kind of resurrection of radio for the digital age, one that could work out.

It is estimated that the changes will cost licence fee payers around £100,000 to £150,000, a figure that will no doubt cause some fractions to react angrily. Regardless of the minority of people who may respond negatively to the corporation's plans, the move should be a wise one and will hopefully heed benefits for the BBC and for radio in general. The plans expected to take place next year.