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(14-10-2023, 06:57 AM)Stooky Bill Wrote: Talking of BBC Sounds (it doesn't seem to have it's own thread), there was an interesting promo for Sounds at the end of Would I Lie To You last night - for a podcast called The Allusionist. It's a podcast that's been around for years, produced by Helen Zaltzman and originally linked to an American public radio group and more recently independent and ad funded.
So it was a bit surprising to see it pop up on Sounds and promoted on BBC1. I can't find anything about what the deal is with it, Sounds isn't like Spotify or Global Player which carry third-party podcasts, and it seems like a special edit without adverts (which are always self read rather than inserted)
I've seen this happening a few times - most notably promoting 'Story of our Times' by The Times. I was surprised to see it so prominently advertised on the BBC News website. The podcast is an edited version with a preceding message saying the BBC doesn't produce it etc.
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They really need to standardise the way that Sounds and iPlayer work in my opinion. It should be pretty much exactly the same experience to find programmes/live feeds on both apps.
Find me on Twitter: @alfiejmulcahy
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I agree, it would users significantly to have a single initiative interface.
They are both quite far apart from each other at the moment though, so I’m not sure the BBC would go for it now. Back when Sounds was iPlayer Radio, both interfaces were far more similar.
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The user interface doesn't even function the same way within an app. Click on the BBC Radio 4 logo in BBC Sounds app and BBC Radio 4 starts playing. Click on a local radio logo and you get the schedule for that station and it doesn't start playing. In fact, unless I'm missing something there is no 'Listen live' button for the local stations at all, you need to scroll through the schedule to the current time and play the current programme to listen to the station live.
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(15-10-2023, 12:52 AM)Nobby Wrote: The user interface doesn't even function the same way within an app. Click on the BBC Radio 4 logo in BBC Sounds app and BBC Radio 4 starts playing. Click on a local radio logo and you get the schedule for that station and it doesn't start playing. In fact, unless I'm missing something there is no 'Listen live' button for the local stations at all, you need to scroll through the schedule to the current time and play the current programme to listen to the station live.
Not sure which version of the app you’re using, but I’ve just tapped on the Radio York icon on the wheel of logos on the iPhone app home screen and it started playing immediately.
Only if you go into the ‘Stations & schedules’ section do you have to scroll down to the current show to start it playing, but that’s no different to any of the other stations, as far as I can see.
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I am using the Android version. The local stations do not appear on the wheel at all, the only way I can see the local stations is by going in to 'Stations & schedules' where, as you say, clicking on a logo shows the schedule but doesn't start the station playing for all the stations including the national ones.
EDIT: I just tried the webapp too. BBC London appears on the wheel (which isn't a wheel on this version) but the other local stations are only in 'View all Stations and Schedules' (so even the naming and capitalism of buttons is inconsistent between versions). This time, clicking on a station name or logo (not all stations have a logo in this version) DOES start the station playing. There are inconsistent design and functionality choices everywhere!
(This post was last modified: 15-10-2023, 10:07 AM by
Nobby.)
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(14-10-2023, 01:44 PM)alfiejmulcahy Wrote: They really need to standardise the way that Sounds and iPlayer work in my opinion. It should be pretty much exactly the same experience to find programmes/live feeds on both apps.
Making it easier to view the linear schedules on all versions of the apps would help. The android Sounds app has a nice big schedules page and stations wheel at the top. On the android iPlayer it's tucked a bit further away on the Explore tab. However last time I checked the Freeview Sounds apps the schedule section is either hidden away or non-existent.
I think long term with iPlayer the Channels tab either needs expanding to include the new equivalent 'FAST' channels, or they need to rename it to "TV Channels" and have a separate "iPlayer Exclusive Channels" type tab for the non-linear channels. I'd move the Radio 1 (TV) section into the latter.
I wonder if part of the aim of these new iPlayer channels is so that long term they can replaced BBC Four and CBBC if/when the linear channels close. Whilst their closure was announced in May 2022 in March this year Tim Davie appeared to be considering a possible u-turn. As any closure isn't due to happen until 2025 at the earliest introducing these new online channels gives people a year to get used to them. The BBC may then be able to claim that x% of viewers are watching them, and use those stats to support their decision.
Formerly 'Charlie Wells' of TV Forum.
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Maybe, although one way to get viewers on board with the “closure” would be if they simply transitioned to being online-exclusive channnels.
I know that wouldn’t save as much money as totally axing them, but as a very large proportion of the savings proposed does come from distribution costs it may work.
It would also head off criticism that services are being cut, as the BBC could claim they are implying shifting distribution instead.
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So where are these new "FAST" channels on BBC iPlayer? Only the standard linear channels are listed under Channels as far as I can see on my screen.
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Accessed via “categories ‘ in the top nav bar … as the first /top left option in each category that has a “FAST” channel
E.g arts
www.bbc.co.uk
Or history
www.bbc.co.uk