BBC “Newscast” podcast - access denied

  • 24 April 2021
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I listen to podcasts via the Pocket Casts service and have had this added to my Sonos system for many months.

In the last couple of days however, when I try to listen to the BBC’s “Newscast” podcasts I can download them

in the Pocket Casts app but when I try to play them via my Sonos system, I get an “Access denied” message. Other podcasts are unaffected and play without a problem. 
I can listen to “Newscast” on my iPad directly using the Pocket Casts app but it is when I try to use Sonos to play these particular podcasts that I get the “Access denied” message.

Any suggestions?

 

 


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Also now note that this particular BBC podcast will not play via TuneIn either. When selected, same “Access denied” message. BBC problem?

It’s unclear when you say via Tunein whether you mean on TuneIn’s website, or just via TuneIn in the controller. But since none of that data ever lives on a Sonos server, and to my knowledge, each service usually gets their own server endpoint, I’d suggest that the BBC being the issue is a better than average guess. 

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Thanks for the response. As for TuneIn,  I have added it to my music services as I have with Pocket Casts so it’s in the controller.

I have received a response from the BBC. Appears the only way I can now listen to BBC podcasts with Sonos is by using AIrplay. As only one of my devices is Airplay enabled (Amp) this effectively means I cannot now stream any BBC podcasts to my other speakers.

Why the BBC has made this change is beyond me, as change is what it is. Until recently I could stream to all my Sonos speakers.

Not impressed to say the least

The BBC’s relationship with online streaming sources has been a sore spot with me for several years. I continue to try to see the possibility of a ‘rights’ legal issue, where they’ve procured the ability to broadcast the some amount of their content in the UK, but not all of the content world wide, but perhaps I’m being generous.

It’s an odd situation from those of us outside, where we don’t pay any ‘tax’ to support the service, and most of the online rebroadcasting services are not UK based. It really is unusual, and while I think they’re being obstinate and unhelpful, they’re also not being transparent about why they want to restrict streaming to their own software. In many cases, that defaults Sonos users to using AirPlay 2….if they have a new enough speaker to do so. But the BBC also geo-locks their streaming software, last I looked, so those of us outside the UK can’t get the full affect of their content. Which again, ties in to the above, I think. 

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Thanks for the response. I am not in the U.K. but use a VPN so downloading their content including BBC Sounds is not a problem. Also I can download their podcasts to Pocket Casts. It is only then that I come against a brick wall trying to stream to my Sonos devices which worked without a problem until recently. As I said, the BBC’s only “help” is to tell me to use Airplay. And that’s it. Airplay or nothing!

Thanks again.

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Just updated iPad to 14.5 and now all BBC podcasts streaming find to all my Sonos speakers. Coincidence?

Never mind why, just happy it’s working.

Hard to conceive of anything in 14.5 that would make a difference to a streaming station to Sonos. 

But I’m happy it’s now working for you :)