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

"Instead, international audiences will need to tune in to radio and podcasts on a new advertising-funded service on BBC.com or a separate app. "

Doesn't this mean they'll have to simply upload a new app and put up with advertising?

As an aside, I hate the word "ex-pat". I always think it means "ex-patriots" 😄

madeleine45

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.

👏👏👏

BBC definitely going downhill, it used to be respected world wide. I think the World Service has changed (or have I dreamt that?). Have just heard that Blue Peter will be pre-recorded and no longer live. Previous presenters are sad, the hitches that sometimes occurred when live added to the programmes vitality. And don't get me going on salaries, diversity, equality and inclusion . . . .

Thank you for highlighting this problem RosieandherMaw .
I bought a DAB radio at Christmas but had to return it as I couldn’t tune into BBC (12b) nor Times (11a) radio.
I would like to listen to both stations without relying on wifi, considering the world situation, lines being cut or blocked out.

Any recommendations welcomed for the Versailles’ area.

I often recommend the BBC to French teens, to help them improve their English via their iPods, while waiting for the bus to school. It will be a shame if they are unable to listen as easily as they can do at the moment.

Trump is also hoping to abolish Voice of America Radio, Free Europe and Radio Liberty.

I suppose these wave lengths will be filled by English speakers from less reliable countries, which listeners maybe unaware of who is broadcasting and their ideas, brainwashing.

Trump is also hoping to abolish Voice of America Radio, Free Europe and Radio Liberty.

How?

Or do you mean he intends to withdraw Federal funding from them, which is not the same thing? Why should the US government fund radio stations? Why should any government fund radio stations?

Retread

"Instead, international audiences will need to tune in to radio and podcasts on a new advertising-funded service on BBC.com or a separate app. "

Doesn't this mean they'll have to simply upload a new app and put up with advertising?

As an aside, I hate the word "ex-pat". I always think it means "ex-patriots" 😄

I don’t like the term “ex-pat, it makes me think of the army in India.
I am a legal English immigrant living in France paying taxes in both countries.🤣

Doesn't this mean they'll have to simply upload a new app and put up with advertising?

Or pay for their radio listening? What's the difference between that and paying for, say, a TV licence, or a Netflix sub, etc, etc?

Baggs

*Trump is also hoping to abolish Voice of America Radio, Free Europe and Radio Liberty.*

How?

Or do you mean he intends to withdraw Federal funding from them, which is not the same thing? Why should the US government fund radio stations? Why should any government fund radio stations?

The country broadcasting decides what view they want to put forward whether true or not.
Think of Russia at the moment, its people think because they have heard on the radio/television that the Ukraine invaded their country.
Mitterand told the French people in 1986 that after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power explosion, the nuclear dust was not over France. I was listening to the BBC and knew different but people did not believe me.
When I lived in Beijing there were many deaths after heavy rainfall in ‘97 but my Chinese teacher would not believe me because the government had told its population not to listen to foreigners.
That’s why free BBC is so important.

*The country broadcasting decides what view they want to put forward whether true or not.
Think of Russia at the moment, its people think because they have heard on the radio/television that the Ukraine invaded their country.
Mitterand told the French people in 1986 that after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power explosion, the nuclear dust was not over France. I was listening to the BBC and knew different but people did not believe me. When I lived in Beijing there were many deaths after heavy rainfall in ‘97 but my Chinese teacher would not believe me because the government had told its population not to listen to foreigners.*

Exactly. This is the argument against government-funded broadcasting.
The BBC is not stainless.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Baggs

*The country broadcasting decides what view they want to put forward whether true or not.
Think of Russia at the moment, its people think because they have heard on the radio/television that the Ukraine invaded their country.
Mitterand told the French people in 1986 that after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power explosion, the nuclear dust was not over France. I was listening to the BBC and knew different but people did not believe me. When I lived in Beijing there were many deaths after heavy rainfall in ‘97 but my Chinese teacher would not believe me because the government had told its population not to listen to foreigners.*

Exactly. This is the argument against government-funded broadcasting.
The BBC is not stainless.

The BBC may not be blameless but it is a life-line for some especially in moments like now.
There is a choice in the UK and people can choose which radio stations to listen to, foreign or not. This is not the case for every country.

In Beijing, where I lived, there was definitely no choice and there is non in Russia at the moment.

What have you got against the BBC Baggs?

I have often wondered just how the BBC manage to produce all their radio output and television from the same pot, -so to speak.

Is this latest restriction to do with restraints on future rises in the cost of a TV licence and the fact that it seems (to me) that a tv license has started to be viewed by many younger people (no pun intended) as optional?

How things have changed!

10 years ago just moaning about the TV license let alone voicing any thoughts about avoiding buying one altogether was considered some sort of moral deficiency.😱

There was a discussion about this issue on Radio 4's Feedback yesterday. They had a number of letters from Irish listeners who were concerned and some wondered whether it would be against the spirit of the Good Friday agreement. Radio and TV from Ireland (republic) are freely available to people in Northern Ireland, but the reverse won't be true shortly, it would appear. A number of the letter writers suggested that Ireland was a special case and should be exempted from the changes to BBC availability outside UK.

Absolutely! I'd be very happy to pay but the BBC is deaf to all outside its own coterie.

Get a good VPN. We use NordVPN in France.

It seems fair to me. The Licence is expensive enough as it is. Those of us in the UK have to pay it. They need to find other funding routes. Those living abroad have no right to get it for free. I also listen to BBC Sounds when I’m abroad, but it won’t be a great hardship to have a few adverts on it. I don’t see why people living abroad should receive a service for free, when British residents are paying for it!

IOMGran

Get a good VPN. We use NordVPN in France.

I agree but if the wifi is cut what to do?

This would affect not only British expats, but also many, many other English speakers living abroad.

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.

No they wouldn’t.

Why would you pay when you can use a VPN and watch BBC programmes and thousands of other world stations for free? You can also listen to radio programmes via a website.

I use a VPN here in Ireland to watch some UK programmes but I wouldn’t pay a subscription to them as there’s not enough decent content.

The BBC is just one of many excellent TV production companies and no longer considered superior. 🤷🏻‍♀️

So sorry to hear.

I am not a follower of BBC however, this is very sad.

Gosh! This is very disappointing news for us here in the USA. However, it looks as though I’ll still be able to listen to The Archers on my iPad which is of paramount importance to me!!!!

We go to France on holiday for 4 or 5 weeks. I am still none the wiser as to how long we can listen to BBC Sounds as the first announcement stated if you were a UK resident on holiday you could listen to it for a "short period". On the BBC Radio website it said you could listen to it whilst on holiday but made no mention of how long.

Yes. It does seem very confusing! What does a ‘short time’ mean? I too have invested in a good VPN (Nord) I pay yearly and use it for hols - usually 3 to 4 a year. It’s the only one that seems to work on my iPad. I suppose we’ll have to wait until the new app comes out befire it makes sense. I too need my dose The Archers!

I do wonder if some responses might have been different if the title of the thread had been "international listeners" or "listeners overseas".
The use of "expats" (which is inaccurate unless you are talking about people working for British companies abroad) does seem to trigger certain reactions.
It is going to be very tricky for Embassies and Consulates if the cut-off is based on geolocation. 😮

I'm sorry but I pay for a TV license to listen to the BBC and its only fair that if you listen to the BBC then you pay for a license too.