British commercial radio stations have paid as much as half a million Australian dollars in a deal with the country’s music licensing body to allow them to include song clips in podcasts.

Phonographic Performance Limited will permit RadioCentre, the UK equivalent of Commercial Radio Australia and representing over 300 stations, to include up to 30 seconds of each song that is not impacted by a voiceover or talk break.

Andrew Harrison, CEO of RadioCentre says:

“This is a first for radio in the UK and a significant opportunity for RadioCentre members. In today’s changing media landscape, flexible licensing for new media activities is the only way forward to enable us to compete in this fast paced digital world. This deal highlights how rights users and rights holders can work together for mutual gain. Commercial Radio is delighted to be leading the way in this area.”

The deal does raise serious questions as to how practical 30 seconds of a song will be from a listener’s perspective, however a similar licence is expected to be announced for BBC programming in the coming weeks.