Can I get the BBC I-Player App on my IPad?
Can I get the BBC I-player on my IPad 2?
iPad 2, iOS 5.1
If the BBC iPlayer app is in your country's iTunes app store then yes.
8 replies
Well, that's the problem I am asking about in the U.S. where I am. I keep getting flashbplayer needed messages when I download the Apple store bbc ap. I enjoy listening to BBC London, and now I can't get that on either my Sonos Radio jinks or on my Wunderradio app on my ITouch. Why the BBC is so possessive of their local radio stations and TV to the rest of the Internet streaming world eludes me. Very odd because other European radio and TV stations are completely available. Bill
Why the BBC is so possessive of their local radio stations and TV to the rest of the Internet streaming world eludes me.
Look up the word "licensing" in the dictionary. It should enlighten you.
BBC Radio stations are available worldwide, as the BBC owns the distribution rights. The BBC do not own all of the TV programmes they show on their channels in the UK. Whether they can broadcast or stream worldwide, depends on the licensing deals they have with the programme copyright holders. Also, the BBC is not funded by advertising, so different rules apply for commercial TV stations.
From the app's support pages:
"
Can I access BBC iPlayer on my mobile phone?
BBC iPlayer is only available on mobile phones within the UK."
All BBC original content is paid for by taxes on British Citizens.
Why should non-British citizens get it for free?
Of course everyone in USA knows the BBC is tax supported, but our tax money is also used to fund NPR and PBS in the USA. Surely the UK wouldn't want to pay taxes to service our public radio stations (there are hundreds of them) or PBS? This is a rather insular mentality I must say about media control, and I dare say that many people in England listen to U.S. public radio willingly and for free on the internet. What is ironic is that I would pay the BBC external I-Player monthly charges if I knew could install the service on my IPad. And that was really the point of my Apple question, and not some jingoistic exchange about taxes. That issue seemed to be resolved for us in 1776.
Until if/when the BBC decides to release the International subscription iPlayer app in the US then you won't be able to download it - as far as I am aware that version of iPlayer is currently only available in some European countries.
mebnicholas wrote:
Of course everyone in USA knows the BBC is tax supported,
They do? There was a long thread a while ago within which it was repeatedly stated that ITV was an insignificant local TV station...
Can I get the BBC I-Player App on my IPad?