Finding Anything on BBC Sounds

[BookAndPiano]

There are 120 pages of documentaries on BBC Sounds. That is a lot to wade through if you don't know the title of a programme or just want to browse for a particular topic.

I'm sure that these used to be divided into topics like History, Science, Religion, although I might have dreamed that.

At any rate, it is pretty difficult to use now. Am I missing something? Is there an easy way to find a list of History documentaries?

Are you sure you’ve scrolled down far enough? The search function opens up all the categories.

The categories are on the home podcast page for me, one scroll down

It seems difficult to find anything on BBC Sounds. If you browse using the 'categories' option, it doesn't show all (or even most?) of the recent programmes in any of the categories.
I find that, in order to browse all of what is on offer, I have to search through the schedules of each of the recent days. They always show programmes that aren't discoverable in the categories listings.
The app is a bit crap imo.

EDITED TO ADD: I've tried clicking on 'view all' in a category, and then clicking to view 'latest first', but the list still fails to show many of the recently broadcast programmes in the category

I agree. It’s a crappy design if you want anything other than the most popular youth aimed stuff.

Ah, yes, that might well be the problem: It is geared up to the yoof and to music/podcasts. It is achingly cringey how the BBC apes and overvalues the incredibly exaggerated tropes and mannerisms of podcast culture.

It is definitely the worst podcast interface, I want to see what I’ve followed with current stuff, if you just do latest it shows all the episodes rather than grouping under show which is not helpful and subscribed gives you everything you’ve ever shown an interest in rather than ones with actual content available, the filter options are laughable compared to apple podcast interface.

I have just done this on your advice-thank you- and it does list Food and Drink, as an example, as a category but I don't think it is extensive. It lists 31 programmes.

By chance, I came across a little series as part of Radio 3, The Essay. It was looking at books/reading in WW2. I think there were 5 episodes and I listened to one on Ambrose Heath who wrote various cookbooks in the time of rationing.

If I hadn't fallen upon it by chance, I don't know how I would have found it as there are over 2000 episodes of The Essay and I wouldn't have searched for something like Ration Books because I didn't know I wanted to hear it until I fell over it!

I imagine there are thousands of gems and no way of discovering them except through serendipity.

Also agree. I've started listening to stuff on there, forgotten the name and gone back to try to find it, but there is no way, other than if I can remember the title.

I mostly listen to drama, so in theory it should be in that category, but nope.

I've started using AI to track down the title and then going back to BBC Sounds with the title. Which is mad.

Why can't the search be like the iPlayer search? Much more logical.

The search on iPlayer is bad too, and the way the home page is set up with all its suggestions of things I have zero interest in all in my face but to continue watching something I AM interested in I have to scroll or search for it!!

Sometimes if you know the name of the author, or presenter or other details then the search function can help. (I just searched “ration” for example and the Essay episode was the first that came up) It’s not the easiest app to use though if you don’t have a hook to use as a starting point .

BBC Sounds is embarrassingly dreadful. I hate it, especially now they keep a lot of their content exclusive so you have to listen to it on there instead of your favourite podcatcher that actually works.

Completely agree. I don't know who BBC paid to make the sites but it was over 10 years ago so surely due an upgrade?
I also get annoyed that Netflix doesn't show when you have watched something already but it almost feels like that is so you feel there is more choice, rather than a reckless dumping into a pit of really good content like the BBC.

agree completely
I have once used a different podcast app and searched for BBC and maybe history and got a better summary than I soon BBCcsounds. Certainly brings the world service stuff prominently.

I listen to most of the dramas and dislike that searching by actor doesn't work. E.g. I know that Nicola Walker has done a lot of radio drama but most of it can't be found. I did actually send in a suggestion to the BBC of widening the search function to include the programme descriptions, not just titles. No positive response unfortunately.

If you subscribe to anything, it shows the 40 most recent episodes My Sounds 'Latest' (only back to 28 December for me) in order of release date. As there is such a big archive, anything older that is being repeated weekly won't show up under Latest. To complicate things, there is also Subscribe (displayed in order of subscribing, not newest episodes) and Bookmarks (for individual programmes, I use it when it's not available to download).

Don't get me started on R4 Extra's The 7th Dimension which repeats good sci-fi around midnight, but doesn't exist according the schedule.

Argh.

Agree the search functionality is awful!

You inspired me to look through the 4 Extra schedule to look for Sci Fi - and I found Ladies of Letters! (not Sci Fi but very funny). Thanks!

I think flicking through the schedules is easier than using the search categories.

Ive also noticed the 7th Dimension doesnt show up and it has some really good stuff ….. ggrrrrrr