Changing BBC Access for Residents in Switzerland Explained
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has announced a new audio service that will replace the BBC Sounds app for international listeners, effective from July 21, 2025. This move aims to ensure that listeners outside the UK can still access a broad range of BBC audio content live and on-demand.
The new service, available on BBC.com and the BBC app, will provide live streaming of key radio stations such as BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service English, direct access to a full portfolio of UK radio stations, thousands of hours of podcasts, and selected podcasts in English, Welsh, and Gaelic on-demand.
Notable podcasts included in the new service are the Global News Podcast, World of Secrets, and The Infinite Monkey Cage. However, it's important to note that not all BBC radio stations will have on-demand versions available on the new site.
Registration is required to use the new BBC app or the BBC.com website. Existing subscribers to the BBC Sounds app will not have their subscriptions or bookmarked content saved on the new platforms.
The BBC's content is only available to people in the UK, and using a VPN does not bypass this restriction. This means that access to BBC TV content, which requires a satellite package subscription for those living outside the UK, remains unaffected.
The new service is primarily for accessing BBC radio programmes and podcasts for those outside the UK. BBC Sounds will no longer be accessible outside the UK, and its closure is exclusive to listeners in the UK.
BBC Studios, a commercial subsidiary of the BBC, is focused on bringing journalism and storytelling to international audiences. Revenue generated by BBC Studios' services outside the UK is returned to the BBC to support its public purpose in the UK.
It's worth noting that many BBC podcasts are also available on other platforms like Spotify or Apple. The BBC iPlayer website, offering both archived and live TV content, cannot be accessed with a non-UK IP address.
UK subscribers will be able to use BBC Sounds on trips to another country for about a month. This move ensures that while the BBC Sounds app is restricted to UK users, listeners abroad can still enjoy a broad range of BBC audio content live and on-demand through the BBC.com website and app services.
[1] BBC News, "BBC Sounds to become UK-only from July 2025", https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-57734722 [2] The Guardian, "BBC Sounds to become UK-only in 2025", https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/oct/28/bbc-sounds-to-become-uk-only-in-2025 [4] Digital Spy, "BBC Sounds to become UK-only service in 2025", https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a37884206/bbc-sounds-uk-only-2025/
- The new service on BBC.com and the BBC app, which includes live streaming of key radio stations, podcasts in multiple languages, and a full portfolio of UK radio stations, is primarily designed for finance and business purposes, serving international audiences who want to access a broad range of BBC audio content live and on-demand.
- The revenue generated by BBC Studios' services outside the UK, such as the new audio service, is essential for the survival of the BBC in the UK, as it supports the public broadcaster's mission of delivering high-quality journalism and storytelling to UK audiences.
