BBC World Service has agreed a deal with Stitcher.com that will see World Service content made available to users of the mobile phone-based application across the globe.  Stitcher is a free mobile phone "Smart Radio" application, available on a number of handsets, including the iPhone, Palm Pre and Blackberry.

Smartphone users can access digital audio content by downloading the application from www.Stitcher.com or at the iPhone, Palm Pre and Blackberry app stores.  They are then able to select from a wide range of audio content including news, sport, talk and entertainment which is streamed on-demand. Programming is customised to suit the individual preferences and interests of the listener.

BBC World Service will provide a selection of English language podcasts, with programming such as Global News, Digital Planet, Global Arts & Entertainment and Africa Today.  In addition, podcasts from the Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Arabic and Persian language services will be made available to users.

Heather Maclean, Head of Business Development, Americas, at BBC World Service, says: "The way people listen to radio is evolving all the time, and Smart Radio applications are becoming an important way of reaching people with our content. Our aim is to make our programming available to people wherever they are and whenever they want it – and this partnership means a new group of people can listen to BBC World Service in a new way."

Noah Shanok, CEO and Co-Founder of Stitcher, adds: "The BBC World Service is the world's leading international broadcaster, and part of the world's largest broadcast news operation – so it's fantastic to be able to provide its high-quality content, in a range of languages, to our listeners."