Blocking Irish listeners from BBC Sounds app a ‘slap in the face’

Blocking a BBC audio streaming service to listeners outside the UK has been branded a “slap in the face” for audiences in the Republic of Ireland.

The move is set to take place within weeks and will lead to the removal of BBC Sounds, the app which allows free access to the corporation’s radio stations and podcasts, to those tuning in from overseas.

The broadcaster is making the change to boost its commercial income.

Those living outside the UK will, following the change, only be able to listen to the BBC World Service and BBC Radio 4.

High Court awards former Limerick hurler €950,000 over injuries sustained working for Johnson & Johnson

The underlying problem of boyhood is manhood

‘Ireland is a beautiful country. And for all the weirdness, I find the people to be really helpful’

Announcing the decision, the BBC said its “international listeners” would instead need to subscribe to a new service on BBC.com, which is funded by advertisers, or a separate app from “spring 2025″.

Those in the Republic will no longer be able to listen to BBC Radio Ulster, a decision that has angered Ancient Music Ireland, a group which researches ancient musical instruments made in Ireland and Britain.

The group’s founder, Simon O’Dwyer, has contributed to BBC Radio Ulster programmes and said “many people in the Republic” listen to programmes across the BBC.

There’s “so much from BBC archive” used in his research, Mr O’Dwyer said.

“The thing about Ireland and Britain is that there’s a special relationship between the two islands,” he added.

[ Would a united Ireland really say goodbye to the BBC?Opens in new window ]

“The instruments we research are pre-Norman, pre-Viking, pre-Roman. We don’t see any borders with them, because there weren’t any.”

The Irish and British governments signed a memorandum of understanding in 2010 on the key role played by public service broadcasting throughout the island of Ireland.

Both governments committed to exploring reciprocal sharing of public service broadcasting’s digital radio service. It is not clear if the removal of the service is in breach of the agreement.

Mr O’Dwyer said the shutdown seemed “incongruous” in light of the “endeavours which are ongoing to bring the islands closer”.

“So much of what we do relates to all of Ireland, north and south. We also have very close associations with Scotland and to be able to access Scottish radio is fantastic when you need to – that’s also going to be removed,” he said.

This was “why, I think, to turn off BBC Sounds to Ireland, it’s like a slap in the face, really, amid all of this effort to get us all together”.

In a statement on its website, the BBC explained the reason for the change.

“BBC Sounds is a UK licence fee-funded service. To offer better value for our UK listeners, BBC Sounds will be repositioned and made available exclusively to UK audiences”.

Last year, BBC director general Tim Davie announced the corporation wanted to look at reforming the licence fee.

The BBC’s income fell by about 30 per cent between 2010 and 2020, he said, while an annual savings target would rise by £200 million to £700 million a year by 2028.

Asked to respond to concerns about the impact of its decision on listeners in the Republic and suggestions it may be incompatible with the 1998 Belfast Agreement, a spokeswoman for the BBC said: “BBC content will remain available on third-party platforms outside the UK.”

Some podcasts which originate on BBC radio are already available to users of platforms such as Apple and Spotify. Those who listen to live radio via third party services such as Amazon and TuneIn will not be affected.