New BBC site

Just had a tweet about this site. Looks interesting (sorry this is short, I’m typing one-handed as I have an ice cream in the other!)

It looks nice and neat - can’t see yet that it’s offering any new functionality as such - if it is, they might need to flag it up a bit. But good to see some investment in the Welsh language web presence, which I know is a bit of a poor cousin in the BBC.

On the plus side, the magazine is nice. Is it new? I don’t remember seeing it before.

On the negative side, I can’t see the “BBC vocab” option that they have on the BBC Newyddion site - the one that highlights the English meaning of Welsh words. That was really handy.

Still nice to see the website upgraded though, and a good portal for different types of BBC content.

Just had a look at this new section of the BBC website, and read (what I could) of the article about Kurt Cobain of Nirvana on the 20th anniversary of his death. It goes into how his music influenced a generation in Wales in particular, and the bands that rose from their influences (Catatonia and Manic Street Preachers get mentioned).

I also read the story about the launch of BBC Cymru fyw (again, what I could!). After all the talk and opinions about how licence money is wasted on services in the Welsh language from outside sources (one notable yet unimportant opinion made recently by Noel Edmonds), I think it’s great that the BBC are still investing in their Welsh-speaking users in some way, and hope that the trend continues across all Welsh media from the BBC.

Is it Geo-restricted? It doesn’t load for me.

Is it Geo-restricted? It doesn’t load for me.

Same here. Browser load icon just spins forever.

Seems georestricted.

Diolch David. I’m liking it. As already mentioned, it’s not really offering anything new content-wise, but I’m finding it a much nicer read on a tablet.

If it’s Geo-restricted then it’s real pitty + it puts Wesh people in unjust situation. Should Welsh not be seen and read worldwide? This is outrageous!

The BBC are georestrict almost everything. Sometimes they forbid people within Britain from accessing parts meant for outsiders. I can sometimes understand why they do it, but it’s frustrating nevertheless when the restriction seems arbitrary.

Steve (Catflap): On the negative side, I can’t see the “BBC vocab” option that they have on the BBC Newyddion site - the one that highlights the English meaning of Welsh words. That was really handy.

I wrote to a friend at the BBC and asked about this and had a prompt and full response from the people in charge. Vocab, it would appear, is old technology, and is having to be pensioned off.

mae’r dechnoleg sy’n cefnogi Vocab wedi mynd yn hen, felly rydym yn asesu sut orau i symud ymlaen. Yn fwy cyffredinol, mae BBC Cymru yn edrych ar ein darpariaeth ym maes dysgu Cymraeg, ac mae Vocab yn rhan o’r trafodaethau hynny.

in other words:

the techology that supports vocab has gone old, so we are asessing how best to move on. More generally, BBC Cymru are looking at our provision in the field of learning Welsh, and Vocab is part of those discussions.

I have asked if there is any way for our learners / new speakers to contribute to this discussion, as you seem to have a whole load of interesting opinions (and would be the actual end users of the service!).

I also raised the Geoblocking with him.

Lets see what comes back.

Thanks for checking Iestyn. Shame about Vocab, but glad to hear other things are being considered. Perhaps Vocab is less important now that there are so many other easy dictionary options available online… It was still handy though.

Am looking forward to being part of the forthcoming SSiW focus group at BBC HQ. I hope they do nice biscuits… :wink:

Steve (Catflap): Am looking forward to being part of the forthcoming SSiW focus group at BBC HQ. I hope they do nice biscuits… :wink:

Sounds interesting! Tell us more!

The BBC has been part of my life for a long time (starting with “Listen With Mother” in the 1950s…yes and we still had rationing then, I’m told), and I’m fond of it, for all its (sadly many, and growing…) faults.

Geoblocking is unfortunate, and seems to me unnecessary.
A lot of other countries seem much more liberal this way, even the national/public broadcasters (Germany for one).

I can only think it’s because of worries about

  1. The licence or
  2. Server overload.(?)

Steve (Catflap): Am looking forward to being part of the forthcoming SSiW focus group at BBC HQ. I hope they do nice biscuits… :wink:
Sounds interesting! Tell us more!

Apologies Mike, this was just a bit of happy irony in response to Iestyn’s suggestion that the BBC should consult with learners. There’s nothing concrete happening as far as I know - but it wouldn’t be a bad idea. As for the biscuits… I don’t remember getting any last time I went to BBC HQ for a training course :frowning: