Another modest suggestion

The web site of the BBC is the miracle of the internet age. ’Nuff said. But it is also damnably infuriating. Especially Listen again.

There I am, loudly enjoying the wonderful Dr Kershaw’s programme, nearing the end of another two hours of exceedingly fine music, when the connection fails. At which point, so does my love for the BBC’s web site. Because there is no way to start listening again at the point at which it failed. No. You have to start at the beginning. And fine though it might be to Listen again again if I choose to, it is a pain to have to start at the beginning if all I want to hear are the final 15 minutes.

I’ve no idea how the nabobs plan ever to make money out of their glorious property, but here’s a suggestion.

I’m out of touch with the license fee, but say it is around £120. That's about 15p an hour for everything. I’d happily pay that for just one channel. Heck, I’d pay double that. But only if the connection never fails.

That’s plainly impossible, and in any case beyond the BBC’s control. But surely it wouldn’t be too difficult to tweak the delivery system so that it knows how far I’ve got and lets me resume where I left off? I’m no expert, but that has to be possible. The alternative is to enable me to download the whole programme and then listen to it, but what a drag that would be.

So, come on BBC boffins. Make it happen. And make a mint.