BBC debuts World News Live app for iPhone, Touch
updated 12:00 pm EDT, Fri June 5, 2009
BBC World News Live app
The BBC and Livestation have introduced a new app for the iPhone and iPod touch, BBC World News Live. Users are able to stream the BBC's 24-hour TV news feed, using either a 3G or a Wi-Fi connection. Low- and high-quality versions of the feed can be selected, though only the former is available over 3G.
Also provided in the app is access to the BBC's mobile website, which lists text stories under topical and regional categories. The software can currently only be downloaded in a little over a dozen countries, however; these include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. World News Live is an €8 download from the App Store.
What about us?
06/05, 01:24pm reply
Many of us in the USA would like to have access to this as well. What's the limitation? I'd love to get some unbiased news now and then. Don't make me have to move to Switzerland!
danangdoc
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Re: what about us?
06/05, 02:50pm reply
You think the beeb is unbiased?! LOL!
BTW, don't think America being missed out is anything personal - we don't get access to BBC World News here in the UK either!
It's crazy but it's something to do with the fact that it's part of BBC World which is the beeb's commercial arm and therefore has ads. We pay a licence fee and because of that, they're specifically not allowed to show us advertising. Hence, we don't get it. Rubbish, eh? At least there's hope for you!
Geobunny
Grizzled Veteran
Joined: Oct 2000
LOL Indeed
06/05, 05:46pm reply
I guess we in the USA will have to muddle through without it, somehow. *The only "Unbiased" media outlet is C-SPAN, btw... ;-)
I hope the U.S. soon gets the "free" TV that other countries stations broadcast over the air, specifically for mobile devices. That would be great. Especially since my old LCD Sony watchman will be useless very shortly!
chotty
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2003
A UK app edition?
06/05, 06:30pm reply
Perhaps the lack of a UK BBC News application would suggest that the BBC is working on its own UK version of the app. We can already stream BBC news live from the web, so I guess it'd be possible.
The BBC news mobile site is on my first page for the iPhone .. use it every day!
kylef
Mac Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2008
I would...
06/07, 11:15pm reply
I would settle for a free bbc.com news feed, no need to stream video.- A
Fast iBook
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Mar 2003
One day the Beeb
06/08, 09:35am reply
will realize that us folks in the US could use a little news from a different perspective than what we get here. Biased or not, those of us looking for more news are smart enough to put in a little effort to filter through things.
Woode
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Oct 2007
BBC
06/08, 11:22am reply
The BBC may not be unbiased (really, who is, that is a useful fiction for news organizations), but at least there is some "there there" as Lily Tomlin put it. U.S. news is abysmal and due to prodigious budget cutting we are more likely to get the latest on Britney Spears shenanigans or 10 Ways to Shave Your Credit Card bill or the latest boffo box office release (reflecting the "synergy" between the news outlet and its film distribution company) than we are to hear what is actually happening in the world. Perhaps the BBC isn't perfect, but at least they know where Botswana is.
thebiggfrogg
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jul 2007