Unable to stream BBC podcasts to Wi-Fi speaker

[pavagen]

UK

Device

MacBook Air 10.14.2 / iPhone 6S 12.1.2

My Question or Issue

Unable to stream BBC Podcast content from either the OS or IOS Spotify App's to a Wi-Fi speaker (Libratone Zipp Mini). Other podcasts / music work fine. I have tried various BBC Podcasts and all exhibit the same issue. Streaming from iTunes and other sources works fine?

[Ver]

Hey @tjt1961,

Thanks for getting back to us 🙂

We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback and information with us. We'll make sure to pass it on to the right team.

We're not able to provide an exact timeline for a fix, but we'd recommend always keeping your Spotify app up-to-date to ensure you're on the latest version.

If you have questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We'll be happy to help.
 

[tjt1961]

Hi @ver

another bit of information for you...I can play BBC podcasts on Sonos using the Alexa BBC skill (which requires you to sign in to the BBC to link the skill with your account)/

i.e.  "Alexa, ask the BBC to play 13 minutes to the moon"

[tjt1961]

Hi @Ver
I have been chatting about this in the Sonos support community and the feeling is that Spotify must not be giving Sonos access to BBC Podcasts, so the speakers cannot stream it.
Do you know if Spotify is talking with Sonos about this?
Thanks

[CarlosE]

Hi again @tjt1961,

Thanks for keeping in touch.

We currently don't have any more info about it, but we appreciate all the extra info you've shared with us. Rest assured, we'll make sure to pass it on to the right folks to be looked into.

In the meantime, what we recommend is to keep the app updated.

If you need a hand with anything else, don't hesitate to reach out.

Cheers.

[tjt1961]

Hi

I have now found that this issue is not unique to Sonos.

I have the same issue if I enable Spotify connect on an echo dot (by saying "Alexa, Spotify Connect"), I cannot play BBC podcasts on the echo dot, other podcasts play.

Regards

Tim

[Alex]

Hey there @tjt1961,

Thanks for getting back to us with this info.

As @CarlosE has mentioned above, we've passed this on to the right folks over at Spotify. Currently we don't have any official information when BBC Podcasts will be made available for streaming via Connect for users in the UK. The developers are always looking to improve the service so this might become available in the future 🙂

Cheers.

[TowcesterTobes]

I have had the same problem using Spotify connect to multiple Amazon echo devices on 3 networks, and to a Bose SoundTouch device. The same Spotify session will allow me to play on a Google home mini (via chrome cast), Spotify desktop app on my Mac and a Fire TV stick. I believe this is some sort of content control that BBC sounds implements. My laptop, and FireTV are effectively BBC sounds endpoints in their own right. The Nest home mini via chromecast is acting more like a Bluetooth speaker (I.e. a dumb device playing out from my phone). The same is true for an Echo if it’s connected to the phone as a Bluetooth endpoint. It’s the active streamers (SoundTouch, Sonos, Amazon Echo in Spotifyconnect mode) that don’t work.

[tjt1961]

Thanks for confirming - it has been driving me nuts.

I used to use Stitcher for podcasts and you can play BBC podcasts on Sonos directly from the Sonos app, but Stitcher have been going through a lot of changes and I cannot use it with Sonos currently and they removed their Alexa skill from the Amazon site.

[TowcesterTobes]

Yep - though the more I think about it the more this seems like it's not just a Spotify issue. Getting an Echo to play exactly the BBC podcast I want via the BBC sounds skill is a nightmare (hence the use of the excellent Spotify interface). Same is true on the Bose Soundtouch (in fact - I am not even sure it can). So my guess is that this is all about how the BBC allow access to their podcast content (the same way as they do the on-demand radio content) and the API available is poor.

There is a similar problem (though not quite the same) trying to use the Echo Alexa voice interface to play Spotify music on the Soundtouch speakers. I can play anything on spotify (except BBC podcasts) on Soundtouch either via the Spotify app in Spotify connect mode, or direct from the Soundtouch app with the Spotify plugin, but not via Alexa controlling the Soundtouch active streaming. Shame.

[abovebelowh2o]

I am have had the same issue for some time and spent most of yesterday bouncing emails to support only to be told “watch” for updates with no known time frame for a fix. Anyway to up vote this @spotify? It’s pretty frustrating.