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BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

theguardian.com

31–40 of 65 posts

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#31
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You need it if you use it to watch tv. Not for radio.

iPlayer is specifically the BBC. You can watch ITV’s or Channel 4’s catch-up (non-live) services legally without having a TV license, unless the rules changed since I left the country.

iPlayer has two versions, one for tv and one for radio. The radio iPlayer is being rebranded to BBC Sounds.

You need a licence if you use the tv iPlayer. You don't need a licence if you use the radio iPlayer.

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#32
post #9

BBC is a joke of a governmental corporation that makes revenues from tv licenses even if you dont own a tv. Essentially they can still make money if you have iPlayer on your computer which requires a license. I live in the UK and every year they send letter to warn all residents even if they dont own a TV (which I dont) they might still need to pay due to iPlayer being on your computer. Blaming Netflix is not enough.…

You only need a licence if you watch live tv as it's broadcast, or watch catch up tv on iPlayer. If you have iPlayer "installed" but never use it, and you do not watch live tv as it's broadcast, you do not need a licence. And even that isn't quite correct is it, you can watch iPlayer on your laptop if you're in someone else's home and they have a licence.

Have things changed recently? The way I remember it (a few years back) was that you didn't need a licence to watch non-live iPlayer, so you could watch yesterday's programmes on iPlayer without the need for a licence.

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#33
post #29
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

iPlayer is specifically the BBC. You can watch ITV’s or Channel 4’s catch-up (non-live) services legally without having a TV license, unless the rules changed since I left the country.

I'm not sure that's ever been true. You need a licence to watch any broadcast TV because it also pays for the infrastructure the other channels use.

You need a license to watch broadcast TV, or to watch content on BBC iPlayer. If you're watching archived content on 4od or itv player, you don't need a licence, but if you're watching on iPlayer you do

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#34
post #29
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

iPlayer is specifically the BBC. You can watch ITV’s or Channel 4’s catch-up (non-live) services legally without having a TV license, unless the rules changed since I left the country.

I'm not sure that's ever been true. You need a licence to watch any broadcast TV because it also pays for the infrastructure the other channels use.

You need a licence to watch any live tv service. The law was changed in 2016(?) to add BBC iPlayer catchup services. It doesn't include other channel's catch up service, so you don't need a licence if you only watch catch up on 4OD.

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#35
post #23
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article seems very UK-centric. As citizen of another coutnry living outside UK I would love to try to subscribe to BBC IPlayer. I think I would prefer it over Netflix, if the price was the same / similar.

Well there is Britbox[1] for folks outside the UK, formed by ITV & BBC. I've only known that they are now launching in the UK. [1] https://www.britbox.com/home

* Only available in US and Canada

Got excited for a moment there too :-(

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#36
post #5

Personally I kind of agree. Other than storage and traffic considerations I cannot see why the entire BBC archive is not available online. It seems stupid to me that we have literally 50+ years of content, documentaries, panel shows, etc. Which could all easily be put online as they are the BBC's content and have been paid for by the British people already. I understand that this might be overkill but I definitely fi…

Yeah our local public broadcast does this and it is local market leader. https://www.audienceproject.com/blog/key-insights/new-study-...

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#37
post #29
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

iPlayer is specifically the BBC. You can watch ITV’s or Channel 4’s catch-up (non-live) services legally without having a TV license, unless the rules changed since I left the country.

I'm not sure that's ever been true. You need a licence to watch any broadcast TV because it also pays for the infrastructure the other channels use.

I think you may have misunderstood me. Broadcast TV does indeed require a license, but catch-up services are not broadcast TV, and I’m referring to that.

To quote from the TV licensing website:

””” Do I need a TV Licence for all on demand programmes?

No. You don’t need a licence if you only ever watch on demand or catch up programmes on services other than BBC iPlayer* (and you also never watch live TV programmes on any channel, including on iPlayer).

You don’t need to be covered by a licence to watch any films or TV shows that you buy online.

*You don’t need a licence to watch S4C TV on demand or listen to radio on iPlayer. You also don’t need one to watch films or TV shows on iPlayer that you’ve bought on the BBC Store.”””

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/b...

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#38
They didn't mention that the requirement for a TV licence to watch iPlayer content is relatively recent. When iPlayer first launched it was exempt from the licence. A TV licence costs about the same as Netflix + Prime does so is not surprising it's now losing out to other, more comprehensive streaming services that often also host BBC content.

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#39
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You only need a licence if you watch live tv as it's broadcast, or watch catch up tv on iPlayer. If you have iPlayer "installed" but never use it, and you do not watch live tv as it's broadcast, you do not need a licence. And even that isn't quite correct is it, you can watch iPlayer on your laptop if you're in someone else's home and they have a licence.

Have things changed recently? The way I remember it (a few years back) was that you didn't need a licence to watch non-live iPlayer, so you could watch yesterday's programmes on iPlayer without the need for a licence.

Yes, the law changed in 2016. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37226030

> All viewers who use the iPlayer to watch any BBC programmes must now be covered by a TV licence after new rules came into force on Thursday.

> Previously, iPlayer users only needed a licence if they were using the service to watch live broadcasts.

> That meant it was legal to watch programmes after broadcast on catch-up without paying the annual £145.50 fee.

> But the TV licence requirements have now been extended to include catch-up, online premieres and online-only shows.

It only covers BBC iPlayer tv. It doesn't cover eg Channel 4's catch up service.

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#40
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

* Every Dr Who, ever. * Hitch Hiker's Guide. * All of Blake's 7. And that's without trying. There's definitely a business there but the BBC just aren't chasing it.

When i was young I used to record Jools Holland on VCR and make mix tapes of individual tracks that I enjoyed, it was great fun and made for relatively unique audio. I'd love to be able to just buy the digital audio (heck, the videos, I can strip the audio out) on a track by track basis. They never made it available, so I can't vOv

I've been an avid viewer of Jools Holland since I was very young and I second this - there have been a few DVDs over the years IIRC and they're finally starting to put current performances on YouTube but having all of the past recordings available would be incredible.
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