CBC reaches deal for new digital music service

CBC has reached a deal with the Audio-Video Licensing Agency so it can stream more of its radio programming online unedited and on demand.

"Up until this point, the majority of the radio programming that we make available online and on demand weve had to strip music out of, so if youre listening to one of our shows on demand weve either had to take music out or go through some fairly complicated arrangements around clearing it," said Chris Boyce, executive director of radio and audio of CBC English Services.

"So it allows us to make more of our radio programming available when and how Canadians want it."

The agreement also covers a new digital music service that CBC plans to launch later this winter, with details to be announced in the weeks ahead.

Boyce would not say if it would be available for free.

"It leverages CBCs strength around Canadian music, it takes advantage of our ability to create original content, to provide context, to build community," he said.

"It really builds on CBCs history around music and if you go back to the mandate of CBC as a company and you look at whats written in the Broadcast Act about reflecting Canada to Canadians ... what were going to launch is us reimagining what that mandate means in the 21st century, in a world where consumption of music and music content has shifted dramatically through digital technology."