For the last ten years, Big Finish Productions have been releasing high-quality, full-cast audio dramas on CD. Series have included Doctor Who, Sapphire and Steel, Judge Dredd and Bernice Summerfield. On February 1st, Big Finish are launching a new, online download service from which customers may purchase and instantly download the audio drama of their choice as an mp3 file to their computer.

‘Listening habits have changed dramatically over the last ten years,’ says Company Director, Jason Haigh-Ellery. ‘More and more people are choosing to buy their music and audio online and listen to it either on their computer or on mp3 players like the iPod. We are delighted to be able to make Big Finish’s productions available in this new way’. Big Finish has many customers outside of the UK but unfortunately, in recent times, exchange rates have pushed the price beyond the reach of some listeners. ‘We have always done our best to keep the prices as low as possible for foreign customers,’ continues Haigh-Ellery.

‘Unfortunately though, the poor exchange rate with America, Australia and other countries has made this difficult. Now though, by offering downloadable versions of our plays, we can dramatically reduce the price as there is no extra expenditure on postage, packing and materials. We’re sure that this will be good news for our foreign customers’. A brand new website at www.bigfinish.com will launch the new download service. Customers will be able to sample individual episodes of selected releases for just 99p. The remainder of the production can then be downloaded by simply paying the balance.

Although not available at launch, a subscription service will be introduced where customers can purchase several plays in advance of their release at a discounted rate. In addition to the plays themselves, music suites, behind-the-scenes features and copies of the scripts will also be made available for download. Customers who prefer to continue buying their Big Finish plays on CD need not worry that online downloads will herald the end of the CD versions. All new Big Finish plays will continue to be released on CD simultaneously with the download version. The download versions will be cheaper than the CDs in all territories but CD purchasers will also be entitled to acquire the download version at no extra charge.

‘The new download service is a major step forward for Big Finish,’ says Jason Haigh-Ellery. ‘By making our productions available instantly, in a convenient format and at a competitive price, we very much hope that we will not only retain our existing customers but that we will also attract new ones from all over the world’. The Big Finish online download service and new website launches on 1st February 2008 at www.bigfinish.com.