BBC pulls podcasts from Google

BBC podcasts are no longer available on Google search, Google Assistant and the Google Podcasts app.

The BBC says all content has stopped going to Google until it can be made available in a way that meets its Terms of Use and the BBC’s Distribution Policy.

A FAQ page explains more about the sudden move: “The BBC requires platforms (such as Google’s Assistant) to meet certain conditions for BBC content to be available on their services. We seek to make our content as accessible to audiences as possible, but until it can be made available in a way that meets our Terms of Use and the BBC’s Distribution Policy, certain BBC content will be unavailable through specific Google products.

“Listeners will have difficulty accessing BBC podcasts via the Google Podcast app and they will not be able to directly access BBC podcasts via the Google Assistant (Google Home).”

The BBC has recently made some of its podcasts exclusive to its own BBC Sounds app, and others only available on other platforms a month after being released.

News bulletins on Google Assistant remain unaffected.