What BBC News users are talking about.

The BBC shut down access to the BBC Sounds app for users outside the UK, forcing international listeners onto the BBC News app as a replacement. Users are furious because the News app offers far fewer radio stations (mostly only Radio 4 and World Service), has a clunky and unintuitive audio interface, and lacks key features like catch-up listening, favourites migration, and offline playback. This is especially painful for British expats and long-time international listeners who relied on Sounds for daily radio and podcast consumption.

Themes: audio_podcasts, ui_design, content_breadth, price_subscription

This app is terrible. BBC blocked BBC Sounds app outside of UK directing them to use this app. But it only has World Service and Radio 4. Truly terrible user experience
BBC News · 1★

BBC Sounds was the most user friendly app I ever used. BBC has a habit of firing on its own foot when everything is going well and dandy. The new BBC app audio section is unwieldy and most programs or podcasts bookmarked or subscribed on th…
BBC News · 1★

Users overwhelmingly complain that BBC News has abandoned impartial journalism in favour of a politically biased agenda, with reviewers split between accusing it of left-wing/woke bias and right-wing bias depending on their own political leanings. This manifests as distrust in the BBC's editorial choices, selective story coverage, and framing of political figures and events. The issue is particularly acute for BBC News users because the corporation is publicly funded via a mandatory licence fee, making perceived bias feel like a betrayal of a civic obligation to impartiality.

Themes: content_quality, content_breadth, price_subscription, personalization

I used to think it BBC as a reliable news service agency that was rational and cared about the people living in the UK. But lately their only focus has been on Reform UK, Nigel Farage, and stories about asylum seekers- preferably committing…
BBC News · 1★

I used to respect the BBC but sadly now feel they now take a very biased view in reporting. The BBC is funded by methods we are given no option to decide if we wish to pay or not. I feel saddened the way they have become. Respected news anc…
BBC News · 1★

BBC News introduced a paid subscription requirement to access articles, prompting a wave of uninstalls from users who had relied on the app for years or even decades as a free, unbiased international news source. Users are particularly frustrated by the combination of existing ads and a new paywall, viewing it as double-dipping, and many note the subscription price is too high relative to what is offered. The backlash is especially strong among North American users who valued BBC as a neutral alternative to US-centric news outlets.

Themes: price_subscription, ads, content_quality, content_breadth

For years, this was a decent way to keep informed on British and international news. They recently changed things so that you need a subscription to read articles. Uninstalled right away. News shouldn't be behind a paywall.
BBC News · 2★

Uninstalled due to pay wall. I've used this app for years as my primary source of news, along with the website. I get the need for ads, but I'm not paying for a subscription to news that should be freely available to everyone.
BBC News · 1★

Users report that successive updates have made the BBC News app significantly worse across multiple dimensions: frequent crashes, slow loading, a confusing new UI that removed personalisation features, and now a paywall on previously free content. Many long-term users describe abandoning the app after years of loyalty, citing the combination of technical instability and the removal of customisation as the tipping point. This is especially frustrating for BBC News users who valued the app as a trusted, free news source and feel the changes betray that relationship.

Themes: reliability_crashes, ui_design, price_subscription, personalization

The app has always been subpar. Crashes, videos infinitely loading, some articles opening as a webpage rather than in the app, ads appearing even if the content doesn't load, and other issues. Different iterations of the app have performed …
BBC News · 1★

I love BBC for the journalism. I don't love the app for two reasons. When I try to access it, I get repeated messages that it failed to load, try again. It can take five attempts before success. What up with this time waster? Also, like som…
BBC News · 3★

Users repeatedly highlight the BBC News app as their go-to source for reliable, unbiased, and high-quality journalism, contrasting it favourably against other news outlets they perceive as politically slanted or paywalled. Reviews emphasise trust, accuracy, and comprehensive global coverage as the app's core strengths. This cluster reflects strong brand loyalty and satisfaction with content quality rather than a specific problem.

Themes: content_quality, content_breadth, price_subscription, personalization

The bbc news is excellent for letting me know what is happening in the world. It’s a great way to be kept informed.
BBC News · 5★

As my title says bbc news is informative, lucid and trustworthy. My go to place for all news
BBC News · 5★

Users overwhelmingly report that a major BBC News app redesign (the 'Red to Black' overhaul) made the app significantly worse, removing personalisation features, burying content categories behind multiple navigation steps, and introducing a clunky, hard-to-use layout. Complaints include inability to customise news topics, broken screen rotation lock, frequent crashes, and a general sense that each successive update degrades rather than improves the experience. This matters acutely to BBC News users because many had relied on the app daily for years and now feel forced to seek alternative news sources.

Themes: ui_design, reliability_crashes, personalization, content_breadth

The latest update is a huge step in the wrong direction. Much less information presented within the same space, terrible layout, and one cannot choose topics one follows, and so not remove news one does not want, or keep subjects of interes…
BBC News · 1★

The interface of this App is a Mess, I remember using this when they had a Horizontal selection choice and it was easy to access. Still can't understand these Big companies go to such lengths and Ruin themselves by Choice
BBC News · 1★

Users report that BBC News app updates — particularly a major redesign — have left the app crashing, failing to load, or completely unusable. Common symptoms include blank screens, spinning loaders, 'no internet connection' errors, and crashes when opening articles or playing videos. This is especially frustrating for long-time users who previously relied on the app and feel the updates have made it significantly worse.

Themes: reliability_crashes, speed_performance, ui_design, login_account

I came to update the app, to see if it can start opening as it should. with the update, it is still malfunctioning. I can't easily open the app. If I see another option, I did drop this app.
BBC News · 2★

horrible experience with this new version of this app. why try to fix something that is not broken, only to damage it?
BBC News · 1★

Users in this cluster consistently praise the BBC News app for its impartial, well-researched, and broad news coverage across topics ranging from politics to science and sport. Many reviewers explicitly highlight the absence of bias and adverts as key differentiators from other news sources. This cluster reflects strong loyalty to the BBC brand, with users valuing it as a reliable daily news companion.

Themes: content_breadth, content_quality, personalization, notifications

I always love reading the BBC’s news first thing in the morning. After checking the BBC’s weather forecast, my first hobby is to open the news app and go through the main topics. While going through them, the ones catching my attention or t…
BBC News · 5★

This is a great app, so easy to navigate, and with unbiased reporting across a variety of subjects. It’s a real luxury to have such easy access to impartial information, irrespective of what the extremes of the public debate will have us b…
BBC News · 5★