LS
Lou Scannon
It's a shame the BBC didn't already have an overall brand for their media player that would bring all their audio/video content together.
Yes, but I suppose with iplayer's video offering expanding fast and it's radio content starting to do the same it could be a unwieldy brand. The two had started to diverge a while ago
I sense its a bit of empire building, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Having a specialist platform/brand can be better than one that fits all
I've always disliked the "BBC iPlayer" name. Six sodding syllables. Too long. Up to 4 syllables (maybe 5, at an absolute push) feels like a natural upper limit for a catchy brand name. Hence people often missing off the all-important "BBC" bit.
Other broadcasters have changed to shorter names over the years (ITV Player/ITV Hub, 4OD/All4, Demand 5/My5. A one-syllable reduction in all cases).
I would advocate Auntie Beeb renaming iPlayer to something that has just a single syllable beyond the "BBC" bit (e.g. BBC Now? BBC Go? Or something)
Last edited by Lou Scannon on 2 November 2018 12:48pm
RO
There's been a bit of a takeover with branding overload around Wogan House, the Peel Wing entrance and all the NBH lifts are now playing BBC Sounds promos in a loop, so I think it's fair to say this is all in service of the launch. That being said, I'm probably contractually obligated to point out if you don't download the BBC Sounds app you're a terrible person. And you don't want to be a terrible person, do you?
As above, like the concept of tying everything together on one platform, don't even mind the name.
Don't like the branding horror show on display in the Twitter profiles. "Radio 5 Live on BBC Sounds" does not work. Hope it's just a promotional launch thing.
Don't like the branding horror show on display in the Twitter profiles. "Radio 5 Live on BBC Sounds" does not work. Hope it's just a promotional launch thing.
There's been a bit of a takeover with branding overload around Wogan House, the Peel Wing entrance and all the NBH lifts are now playing BBC Sounds promos in a loop, so I think it's fair to say this is all in service of the launch. That being said, I'm probably contractually obligated to point out if you don't download the BBC Sounds app you're a terrible person. And you don't want to be a terrible person, do you?
NG
The name has to be something that isn't either - Sounds is a perfectly fine name, I'm not sure what else it could be, iPlayer Audio sounds very generic and dull
Yes - and it's become pretty clear that iPlayer as a brand is massively associated with TV and video content - even the move of radio stuff from iPlayer to iPlayer Radio didn't seem to help hugely. It still felt like an off-shoot rather than a strong audio proposition.
Now that the BBC is pushing much harder in the Podcast arena - I think ditching the Radio tag (iPlayer doesn't have 'TV' in its brand) probably helps with that a bit?
noggin
Founding member
The name has to be something that isn't either - Sounds is a perfectly fine name, I'm not sure what else it could be, iPlayer Audio sounds very generic and dull
Yes - and it's become pretty clear that iPlayer as a brand is massively associated with TV and video content - even the move of radio stuff from iPlayer to iPlayer Radio didn't seem to help hugely. It still felt like an off-shoot rather than a strong audio proposition.
Now that the BBC is pushing much harder in the Podcast arena - I think ditching the Radio tag (iPlayer doesn't have 'TV' in its brand) probably helps with that a bit?
JA
There's 2 minor niggles I have with BBC Sounds.
First, that the functionality of the app just doesn't match (let alone better) that of the existing iPlayer Radio app (such as Chromecasting and track listing). It feels like they've rushed to release *something* just to get some traction.
Secondly, that adding "BBC Sounds" to everything kind of jars against other things. For example on the Radio 2 TOTH, they've swapped "online, on digital and on 88 to 91 FM" to "on the BBC Sounds app, on digital and on 88 to 91 FM". Not only does it sound naff but it also loses the all-encompassing description which came before it. "Online" covers the app, the website, other apps (Tune In etc), smart speakers and everything else, whereas "BBC Sounds" is just that.
First, that the functionality of the app just doesn't match (let alone better) that of the existing iPlayer Radio app (such as Chromecasting and track listing). It feels like they've rushed to release *something* just to get some traction.
Secondly, that adding "BBC Sounds" to everything kind of jars against other things. For example on the Radio 2 TOTH, they've swapped "online, on digital and on 88 to 91 FM" to "on the BBC Sounds app, on digital and on 88 to 91 FM". Not only does it sound naff but it also loses the all-encompassing description which came before it. "Online" covers the app, the website, other apps (Tune In etc), smart speakers and everything else, whereas "BBC Sounds" is just that.
MA
If you missed it, yesterday was launch day, which saw Greg James and Ken Bruce doing their shows from pods in the London Eye, which was being referred to on-air as the London Ear for the launch of the app.
I mean...!
I mean...!
SP
BBC Me?
I would advocate Auntie Beeb renaming iPlayer to something that has just a single syllable beyond the "BBC" bit (e.g. BBC Now? BBC Go? Or something)
BBC Me?
TVF
TV Forum Team
Posts from
BBC Sound App Promo
have been merged into this topic.
CW
Charlie Wells
Moderator
It's rather convenient that the latest blog entry closed only two weeks after it was created. Coincidentally just a day or two later they started promoting the BBC Sounds brand on TV & Radio.
IS
That's the point, until fairly recently BBC podcasts were just radio programmes either in full or highlights. Early on there was a rule that they couldn't put out on a podcast anything that hadn't been on air, which is why if you turned on Radio 1 in the early hours of the morning you'd hear the Chris Moyles Podcast as the extra content they included needed to have been on air.
Over the last year they've started doing original podcasts to varying success, the most well known and successful probably being 'Me You and The Big C' which got a lot of coverage recently when one it's creator and presenter, 5 Live's Rachel Bland, died. Another success is Fortunately with Fi and Jane, which might be of interest to members here as it often interviews newsreaders and other BBC names. They are only loosely connected with their respective networks because they are productions in their own right
They recently got a head of podcasting and are now actively commissioning them
It's long overdue really, I think there was a fear that the BBC and as a consequence the UK in general were falling behind in the podcast world - the BBC despite all their might and creativity could only produce cut downs of Scott Mills and the like. It's a bit telling that one of the worlds most popular podcasts is presented by a Radio 1 presenter (although I can't imagine the BBC commissioning Dad Wrote a Porno!)
All the BBC podcasts I've listened to are affiliated with a BBC Radio station, so I don't see why they can't come under that umbrella.
That's the point, until fairly recently BBC podcasts were just radio programmes either in full or highlights. Early on there was a rule that they couldn't put out on a podcast anything that hadn't been on air, which is why if you turned on Radio 1 in the early hours of the morning you'd hear the Chris Moyles Podcast as the extra content they included needed to have been on air.
Over the last year they've started doing original podcasts to varying success, the most well known and successful probably being 'Me You and The Big C' which got a lot of coverage recently when one it's creator and presenter, 5 Live's Rachel Bland, died. Another success is Fortunately with Fi and Jane, which might be of interest to members here as it often interviews newsreaders and other BBC names. They are only loosely connected with their respective networks because they are productions in their own right
They recently got a head of podcasting and are now actively commissioning them
It's long overdue really, I think there was a fear that the BBC and as a consequence the UK in general were falling behind in the podcast world - the BBC despite all their might and creativity could only produce cut downs of Scott Mills and the like. It's a bit telling that one of the worlds most popular podcasts is presented by a Radio 1 presenter (although I can't imagine the BBC commissioning Dad Wrote a Porno!)
IS
Yes - and it's become pretty clear that iPlayer as a brand is massively associated with TV and video content - even the move of radio stuff from iPlayer to iPlayer Radio didn't seem to help hugely. It still felt like an off-shoot rather than a strong audio proposition.
Now that the BBC is pushing much harder in the Podcast arena - I think ditching the Radio tag (iPlayer doesn't have 'TV' in its brand) probably helps with that a bit?
Although a lot of people (both on air and off air) still call it 'Listen Again'
It did occur to me that 'Sounds' is a throwback to the 50's and 60's when it wasn't BBC TV and radio... it was 'TV and Sound'
Yes - and it's become pretty clear that iPlayer as a brand is massively associated with TV and video content - even the move of radio stuff from iPlayer to iPlayer Radio didn't seem to help hugely. It still felt like an off-shoot rather than a strong audio proposition.
Now that the BBC is pushing much harder in the Podcast arena - I think ditching the Radio tag (iPlayer doesn't have 'TV' in its brand) probably helps with that a bit?
Although a lot of people (both on air and off air) still call it 'Listen Again'
It did occur to me that 'Sounds' is a throwback to the 50's and 60's when it wasn't BBC TV and radio... it was 'TV and Sound'