releaseyear metadata get_iplayer extracts for Films

[MacFH - C E Macfarlane - News]

On 06/03/2024 18:49, David wrote:
>
> I am using get_iplayer v3.35 to extract metadata for Films and have a
> question about how its populating releaseyear. Using the following
> examples:-
>
> get_iplayer --metadata-only pid=m001jwmx

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001jwmx

>
> get_iplayer --metadata-only pid=b00748sh

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00748sh

> m001jwmx, The Beach, returns releaseyear as 2023, whereas I'm expecting
> 2000.

That was the year it was first broadcast by the BBC, as explained below.

> b00748sh. The French Connection, returns releaseyear as 2006, as expected.

Eh?  Surely this film is way older than that?  ISTR first seeing it in
the 70s?  Let's see what IMDB says, yes, thought so, 1971.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067116/

> I note that the release notes for 3.32  state, "Added a <releaseyear>
> substitution parameter, which is the year a programme was originally
> released, if available - otherwise set to <firstbcastyear>. The two
> items are often the same for TV and radio episodes, but may be different
> for films and archive programmes, e.g., Radio 4 Extra shows."

Which partly explains the above.

> Unfortunately neither of my examples is currently listed in the iPlayer
> schedules on so I am unable to confirm via the website if the Beach does
> not the original release year (so its extracting <firstbcastyear>), but
> all my spot checks of current films on the iPlayer website have the
> orginal release date shown, so it would be surprising if the Beach did
> not have it, which makes me wonder if there is some other reason why
> get_iplayer cannot return it?
>
> Can anyone advise?

As above, use the form ...

     https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/<pid>

... to find a page for a programme that remains accessible even after it
  has lapsed from iPlayer.