Free Radio Forum: Re: BBC

This was announced on February 25th so there's been plenty of discussion about this on radio forums. BBC Sounds and the new BBC app for overseas listeners will have commercials thus giving the BBC income.

Comment from James Cridland on a forum to an expat who said he'd be happy to take out a subscription to the app/BBC Sounds for overseas listeners

"As soon as the BBC earns money from the international streams of Radio 1, 2, 6music etc, then they need to pay full music rights for them, which really isn't an option. They only have music rights for the UK, and the loophole is that as long as they don't market the streams abroad, and as long as they don't earn money from them, the music companies turn a blind eye. So (just like iPlayer), your plan isn't a thing they could do."

As many will remember Sony and Warners took Tune In to the UK High Court for making income from streaming overseas stations in the UK who didn't pay UK music rights. In 2019 they ruled in their favour, Tune In unsuccessfully appealed. So they've blocked many overseas stations from being available on Tune IN here.

BBC webpage on the changes includes:

What does this mean for third party platforms that previously carried BBC podcasts and audio?

These changes only impact BBC platforms, as BBC content will remain available on the same third-party platforms as before outside the UK.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20250207-bbc-podcasts-are-now-available-on-the-bbc-website-and-app

Nord VPN has been recommended as working well. I often use OnlineRadioBox, find it very easy to use and has a 7 day playlist for music stations.

Radio 4 and BBC World Service will still be streamed overseas so the longwave closure won't matter, it's only been on the air for the last few years as the electricity industry has been paying most of the operational costs as it's been needed for radio teleswitch meters.

Previous Message

We all complain if we have something taken away that we previously had access to. Given that the BBC is the state broadcaster for the UK and it's domestic stations are only funded by people in the UK via the licence fee, it isn't unreasonable to restrict access only to those who pay for it. There are other outlets for BBC content around the world which are funded commercially. There will also be issues with copyright and clearance for certain content being cleared for certain countries. This seems to be happening more and more these days. This is especially true with sports rights and films but increasingly music as well. Many radio stations have had to so called 'geo-lock' their streams in recent times. It isn't a BBC only thing. The determined can find ways round such restrictions however but it stops general access for the masses. This also comes at a time when the BBC's main AM broadcasts are being closed which previously covered big areas - especially Radio 4 Longwave.