Expats to be cut off from BBC radio and podcasts within weeks

This is devastating news. I listen to podcasts and stream radio from the BBC almost exclusively for most of the day. I will wait and see though because mostly I listen to Radio 4.

Some programmes have always been blocked off and can only be listened to in the UK. This can be quite random. For example, the last episode of the Kitchen Cabinet was only for UK listeners but the one before it was accessible to me.

I assume this is a funding decision brought about because fewer people are now buying a licence.

The BBC has to pay for the rights to broadcast certain programmes and/or broadcast in certain locations that are otherwise geo-blocked.

We are slowly heading down the road of the BBC becoming a commercial broadcaster funded by advertising.

Well that will help with their reputation, won’t it ? Very shortsighted and somewhat xenophobic. Maybe they’ve been listening to Donald ?

So sad and somehow a sign of the times. I listen to Australian news podcasts partly because it is illuminating hearing a totally different perspective to what is happening in Europe and partly because interviews are calm and the interviewers listen to what people say instead of jumping down their throats like rabid dogs! No BBC names mentioned!
I used to like to listen to foreign news stations and to read overseas newspapers, for instance the New York Times and the Irish Times but they are all behind paywalls now and so we become more insular. Sad.

I don't think many young people buy licences these days. They don't use the BBC.
It seems quite harsh to cut people's enjoyment of BBC programmes.
I know they need to cut back but the huge salaries paid to some managers and presenters isn't helping their funding problems.

And how many people will start using a VPN to listen to them.

Yes, apparently financial.
It's just the app though I believe.
Still available online.

A pity after decimating the world service.

It’s a shame, but that has happened for a while with music and other programmes I used to listen to from other countries. A message comes up saying things like “Sorry, this programme is not available outside . . .”

May be the revenue from the advertising will go to reduce the cost of the licence for UK users. 🤣🤣🤣

Jackiest

And how many people will start using a VPN to listen to them.

Most people who watch UK tv do Jackiest we did when we lived abroad.

I can’t understand why the BBC doesn’t make iPlayer available outside the UK for a subscription. They’d make loads of money. Obvs that is TV not radio but limiting radio as well seems a very parochial move to make.

nanna8

Well that will help with their reputation, won’t it ? Very shortsighted and somewhat xenophobic. Maybe they’ve been listening to Donald ?

Maybe there's no choice. How do you think they can make ends meet?

That seem like a good idea SueDonim. I player is great. And it is Sounds as well as TV.

Yes, SueDonim, that's just what I was going to say. Lots of people would pay to watch/ listen to the BBC, they are really missing a trick. I think they may have missed the boat now though, as most people just use a VPN and the money goes to those companies instead.

There’s Britbox which is a BBC thing - we have that but it is mainly old stuff, no news or anything contemporary. Precious little things, the BBC. Perhaps they could be described as pearl clutchers ? Their news is good,though, better than ours with a wider perspective. They are very clever at blocking VPNs these days,too, so I can’t be bothered anymore.

Yet they'll continue with their world service, which we pay for. Both from our tv licence fee, and Government subsidies. The countries who use it pay not a shilling towards it. So perhaps it would be useful to look at trimming that down. Have you seen how many foreign language stations it provides?

Freya5

Yet they'll continue with their world service, which we pay for. Both from our tv licence fee, and Government subsidies. The countries who use it pay not a shilling towards it. So perhaps it would be useful to look at trimming that down. Have you seen how many foreign language stations it provides?

Well said.

GrandmaKT

Yes, SueDonim, that's just what I was going to say. Lots of people would pay to watch/ listen to the BBC, they are really missing a trick. I think they may have missed the boat now though, as most people just use a VPN and the money goes to those companies instead.

Isn't that what the license fee is for? Do ex-pats, as you call them, not pay the license fee?

You mention international listeners too- so I take the ex-pats are some sort of exception?

I always assumed the international broadcasts would have had to be paid for anyway, excepting the WS? Certainly BBC TV shows are sold to overseas broadcasters- why not radio shows?

This is very confusing to me...

The BBC world service was respected everywhere and when I lived abroad of course listened to it constantly, as did many people in many countries. The BBC was trusted by everyone to give clear information that could be trusted. I once lived in a country where there was fighting and people on both sides told me that they were waiting for the BBC news as they could believe the information on there rather than the partisan news in the country. We have listened to it in difficult situations to judge whether we need to leave a country or move for any reason. People in this country have no idea how much it helped Britian, giving much appreciated news, programmes and interest for them. Many people improved their english listening to it and it used to bring quite a lot of money to Britian as they would choose to come to university here. Very sad how the politicians have spoilt so much of the good things they brought, much of it intangable, but it was definitely a positive influence in the world.

* madeleine * I have heard this from many people in my travels, too.

What a disaster!

Not.

It's just a way of extracting money from people because the BBC's popularity in the UK is tanking so the licence income is going down.

They could go back to being impartial instead but that doesn't look likely at the moment.

Yes, Madeleine the BBC was considered one of Britain’s soft powers, a way to project our image abroad, which is why radio was available to all. Though I’m not sure Britain’s image nowadays is one we want to project. 🤔

SueDonim

I can’t understand why the BBC doesn’t make iPlayer available outside the UK for a subscription. They’d make loads of money. Obvs that is TV not radio but limiting radio as well seems a very parochial move to make.

@#€_&__€#

Exactly! I have often said I would be happy to pay a licence fee if I could because I use the BBC so much.

We pay for Britbox but it doesn’t give access to other things like iview, only old versions of things like Vera. Their news is very good but restricted as to what we can see here.

Seems logical to me. Here in the UK we are supposed to pay for a licence to watch the BBC. Not that all do now apparently, it seems to have become optional. On one hand why should expats get the BBC for free. On the other hand why don’t the BBC make their output available in other countries for a subscription fee. Word has it they are cash-strapped and could do with the extra income.

You know, that’s a very,very good idea. You should tell them MrsQuigley
Funny enough, one of my granddaughters lives in a Quigley Crescent!