UK DJs backing podcasting outfit

Veteran DJ Tony Blackburn will present his own 70s music show

DJs Paul Gambaccini and Tony Blackburn are backing a new website offering radio shows for digital audio players.

Podshows will offer shows to download to iPods and other players for between 49p and 99p each.

Gambaccini, Blackburn, Steve Penk and former Radio 1 DJ Wes Butters are among the hosts lined up.

The BBC and Virgin Radio already offer shows via "podcasting", but only using shows which have already been broadcast on radio.

Butters, who set up the £50,000 venture with former Virgin Radio DJ Daryl Denham, will present Top 40 rundowns of the UK albums and single charts.

The chart shows, which will be available at 1900 on Sundays, will initially be available via an internet stream.

However, listeners will be able to download the rundowns once licensing deals have been finalised with the major record companies.

Technology

Gambaccini will present classical and jazz chart shows, while Blackburn will host his own 1970s music programme.

TV presenter Terry Christian will present a programme devoted to 1990s music, while there will be daily updates from Michael Jackson's child abuse trial in Santa Maria, California.

Former Radio 1 host Wes Butters will present weekly chart rundowns

Ten shows will be made available initially, with further podcasts to follow spanning comedy, sport and specialist interests.

The Podshows catalogue will also include travel guides, audio books and documentaries.

Half-hour programmes will cost 49p, while hour-long music shows will cost 99p.

Thousands of podcasts are now available from around the world, many made by amateurs about niche subjects.

"In two years' time this is the way people will consume radio," Denham said.

"Soon everybody will have the technology to get these shows and consume them," added Butters.