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Message started by Administrator on Sep 6th, 2019, 9:03am

Title: iPlayer Radio to close
Post by Administrator on Sep 6th, 2019, 9:03am

James Purnell (Director Radio and Education) announced on the 4th September that iPlayer Radio is to close by the end of the month.

It will be replaced by BBC Sounds. Currently not available outside the UK and only available on later versions of certain mobile devices.

More, here, from the "About The BBC Blog"


"Radio Today" has a page about the move, here.


"The Daily Telegraph" report is here. It starts....

"The BBC is to close its iPlayer radio app this month and replace it with the unpopular BBC Sounds, prompting an outcry from listeners."

Title: Re: iPlayer Radio to close
Post by V Meldrew on Sep 6th, 2019, 2:09pm

This is disappointing news. I use the iPlayer Radio app on my Android phone which is not compatible with the BBC Sounds app.

So either I lose the iPlayer Radio app or I will neeed to buy a newer phone. :'(

Title: Re: iPlayer Radio to close
Post by JohnW on Sep 7th, 2019, 9:38am

Not just Android phones, but there's a whole series of Amazon kit that won't be able to use it either!

Bad, bad move, in my opinion - and with so little notice to the public.

Another nail in Auntie's coffin?

Title: Re: iPlayer Radio to close
Post by WG on Sep 7th, 2019, 10:07am

Yes--we knew this was going to happen--so I suppose we'd better make the best of Sounds. Earlier this year on the previous SOUNDS TAKES OVER FROM RADIO post I wrote

" This app IS now slowly getting better. However-If they had asked me how i would have gone about giving IplayerRadio a revamp,I would have said
!)Yes-do change the name if you like --so as to reflect the trend for appealing to younger audiences.
2)Keep all the bits from Iplayer radio that currently exist. They work a treat and there is no need to fix anything that's already perfectly clear, operable and accessible.
3)Yes--add a section on Podcasts-start with an alphabetical title index, an  alphabetical contributors index and keep to no more than four genres, speech music, sport, drama and news.
4) Then--if you really want to be creative--create a fourth section on readily available archive radio.
5) and... if you still have time and money--think about audio versions of  TV shows that work "with your eyes shut" .

1) and 2) has broadly been achieved. 3)(Podcasts) is still a muddle, but improving--but no attempt has yet been made on 4)(Archive radio) or 5) Audio versions. If you are going to ditch the word Radio and replace with Sounds, my points 4) and 5) now move from being desirable to essential.More work needed here and fast.

A couple of further points.
A) The inclusion of all BBC local radio output has cluttered the Sounds app. Refinement badly needed here.

B) Music output is still very muddled ( essential when considering competition from other streaming services ). I applaud the Music Mixes genre-straight music segued without a presenter and not necessarily programme specific.. Have a look-it's excellent-exactly what the young want There is plenty originated by R1,R3 and R6 but nothing from the R2 stable, except a 90's and 00's "mix". Wakey wakey R2.

It's taken a year since the ridiculously early launch in the summer of 2018--but it is better. The challenge now is to watch competition carefully, because sure as anything, someone could well come up with something better.

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