[Get-iPlayer] Re: BBC iPlayer login will be required from 2017

[Vangelis forthnet]

On Tue Sep 27 12:18:53 BST 2016, Roger Bell_West wrote: 

> so far use of iPlayer for _radio_ programmes 
> does not require a licence 

Though not clear in the BBC News article 
that started this thread, the Daily Mail one 
(linked to by CJB) states: 

>>  From early next year, anyone accessing TV and radio content 
>> via the streaming service will have to 
>> register their names, email addresses, and postcodes. 

So it would appear the obligatory login (via BBC ID) 
will also apply to iPlayerRadio users, despite, as you 
correctly said, no TV licence is (currently) required for that... 

> or residency in the UK. 

Again, I fear this will also apply to Int'l users (in the millions...) 
wishing to access iPlayerRadio offered to them (in low bitrates); 
in their recently revised pages: 
https://www.bbc.com/register/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/account/help-registering/
you need provide age, valid e-mail address and password; 
their "register" page automatically figures out (via IP check) 
physical location of registeree and auto-completes the 
Country input field; if !=UK, you need not provide a postcode.

>> From Tuesday, BBC ID holders also have to 
>> add a postcode to their account. 
>> TV Licensing has access to the information 
>> but the BBC says it has no current plans 
>> to use it for enforcement purposes. 
>> The corporation says the changes are part of an attempt 
>> to make its services more personal and localised

...yeah, right... Localised to a specific postcode!!! 
County/City would have sufficed for that...

This compulsory login, come next year, is but a prelude 
to the next stage where valid TV licence credentials will 
also be required in the login, at least for TV content 
(a speculation on my part...).
Just have a look over at the major TV-On-Demand 
sites in the US; they all require you 
"Select your TV provider, sign in and watch." 

When the real underlying issue is loss of revenue, 
tightening the control over those who access iPlayer 
comes as no surprise; 
>> The BBC has said "significant numbers of new people" 
>> have bought a licence since the new rules came into effect.
Probably not that "significant" to have resulted in this new 
tighter access scheme...

(I very rarely contribute to OT-ish threads, 
this is just one of those instances... 
Apologies to those that feel annoyed by the noise...)

Kind regards