Spanish Broadcaster Blocks Access to Podcasts in RSS Feeds
The Spanish public broadcaster RTVE has begun blocking the podcast media files for its radio station RNE from being downloaded by some podcasting apps, reports James Cridland for Podnews:
One such podcast app that RNE is blocking is AntennaPod, a free podcast app on Android. It's one of the most popular apps on Android -- and in Spain, 78.8% of Spanish mobile phone users use Android mobile phones.
Users have discovered that RNE is specifically blocking AntennaPod, based on the app’s user agent, which is correctly set for every download. It’s unclear why: The app contains no advertising, and is open-source. It's free to download, and acts in accordance with the unwritten contract between podcast publishers and apps. ...
RNE continues to publish open RSS feeds, so the broadcaster's shows appear in podcast apps -- but the audio isn't available. This means that RNE shows appear without any issue -- but don't play in some of them, causing audiences to think that the app, rather than the publisher, is at fault.
Blocking RSS feeds or their enclosures is antithetical to the spirit of the open web. Putting something in a public RSS feed says you want it to be downloaded by whatever software a listener chooses to use.
RTVE claims the move was justified because some apps are making money off their podcasts. A block based on user agents could be easily circumvented, since declaring one in an HTTP request is voluntary. AntennaPod users are being denied their listening choices because the app is conscientious enough to tell feed publishers its identity.
Categories: RSS, Podcasting, AntennaPod
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