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Local music is mixing with the big boys now that ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Oxford's dedicated music show has launched its first weekly podcast.

And, only a month in, the show is already being enjoyed on the go by thousands of music fans.

The podcast is a bite-sized chunk of the station's radio show which can be downloaded for free and listened to on your computer or mobile music player.

While many of the big national shows have been tied up with rights issues, Oxford's Introducing show has been able to get in on the game because they only play locally-produced unsigned music.

Presenter Tim Bearder said this has been an obvious next step for the show: "A podcast is the perfect way to highlight the amazing unsigned talent we have in Oxfordshire. Artists are able to upload their new tracks directly to us through our website. We can pick out the very best and the fans download it again. It's a totally seamless use of new technology and it's an incredibly exciting way of working."

Tim is also excited about the real benefit of podcasting – the fact that the show can be downloaded and enjoyed anywhere you take your music player: "We've heard from fans who are now listening to new bands on the bus or in the car or while out for a jog. They can also do it in their own time, no longer being chained to the radio between 6.00-7.00pm on a Saturday night or the computer when listening back on iPlayer."

iTunes and all the other places where you can download the podcast gives local artists an international audience and the higher up the charts the show goes the more it will stand out amongst the competition.

"What we need now is for local fans to get behind the show and subscribe," explains Tim.

"The more people that download our free podcast the more people will see it and that's going to be good for the show and good for local music. Podcasting gives our bands a brilliant international platform and we really want to make the most of that."

You can find out all about how to subscribe to your free ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Oxford Introducing podcast by logging on to the show's website at bbc.co.uk/oxford.

Notes to Editors

According to figures collated by ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio, the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Oxford Introducing podcast had 2,595 downloads in its first month, October to November 2009.

HB