BBC to sell shows through Apple's iTunes UK

LONDON (Reuters) - British viewers will be able to download a selection of BBC programs from Apple's digital store iTunes, under a deal announced by the public broadcaster's commercial arm on Tuesday.

BBC Worldwide said certain programming including Life On Mars, Little Britain and Spooks would be available in Britain for purchase and download from the iTunes store for 1.89 pounds ($3.69) per episode, in the first such deal for Apple with a UK broadcaster.

The programs can then be viewed on a PC, Mac, iPod with video, iPhone or Apple TV.

The corporation said making BBC programming available on iTunes was key to BBC Worldwide's objective of securing the broadest possible distribution for its content.

The BBC already has its own free on-demand service called iPlayer, which allows viewers to catch up with programs they have missed in the past week. It has proved hugely popular, with more than 3.5 million programs streamed or downloaded within the first two weeks of its Christmas Day launch.

Programs aired on BBC channels will be made available on the iPlayer first, before appearing on iTunes.

All broadcasters have moved to make their programming available online in recent years, as younger people spend more time on the Internet.

The BBC Worldwide is also engaged in a joint venture with ITV and Channel 4 to launch a joint on-demand content service later this year that will bring together more than 10,000 hours of programming.

(Reporting by Kate Holton; Editing by David Cowell)