Love WGBH, but I’m in Maine and stream it through this app…BUT that’s only when the streaming works. It is a glitchy mess. Sometimes you can listen for an hour, then it glitches out and won’t play, or an alert comes up with “audio problem”. Sometimes you will get 5 min. Then it happens again. At that point you need to close out of the app, wait 5-10 min. And try again. I make sure my phone is updated, app updated. No other issues with other apps, only this one. Please fix this!!

1 month ago, LastSpartanStanding

Doesn’t work anymore.

I’ve listened to the GBH morning news on my iPhones for years with no issues. A couple of months ago I started getting a message that there was a problem downloading the audio. I made sure I had the latest OS and everything else was OK. I deleted the app and reinstalled it several times. 2-3 weeks ago I noticed on the App Store description that the app was completely updated. I installed the new version and it worked great for one day. I started getting the same message again that there was a problem downloading the audio. I check it every day with the same message. Two days ago the app worked and I was able to listen to the morning news for about 15 minutes before it quit and the audio download problem message appeared again. I’m a tech guy and that is very strange to me. I have hundreds of apps on my iPhone 12 Pro and they all work as designed. The GBH app has a serious problem.

6 years ago, Absintheur

It does play WCRB - it’s just hidden

In the preview screenshots they show a panel where you can select other GBH services, including 99.5 classical - I had to hunt around (and write a negative review in frustrated panic) before I finally found this menu - you have to “select steam” (a tiny button next to the main “play” triangle button). Too techy (not at all intuitive) for us mortal classical music lovers, but the functionality I wanted does exist, it seems to work, so four stars.

2 months ago, Hngry_n_needhm

Poor performance on cellular data etc

I’ve been using this app for more than 2 years. I love the content, but the app performs very poorly. A recent issue in the past week + is the inability to play using cellular data (yes, I’ve check my settings, etc). Also, long-standing problems with any transition (e.g. from speaker to earbud or interruption by a notification from another app) causing the GBH app to play the advertisement portion again). This content deserves a better vehicle!

11 months ago, wmw42

Please, please do better

I love WGBH, but this app forces me to go to WBUR for most of my listening. The only time I actually use it is during Jim and and Margery’s show. It is so unclear to me how an app can be so bad in the year 2022. Even sitting in my house it constantly drops the stream and has to pick up again, each time repeating the darn tag line. I’ve learned that if I want to walk around my house and keep listening uninterrupted I have to turn Wi-Fi off. I simply don’t understand how every other radio station can handle technology, but this one can’t!

5 years ago, Bfleurjuste

Streaming not great

Unfortunately, the app seems to have issues with streaming. Every few minutes, the stream for 89.7 seems to stop and resume after a moment or sometimes after a minute. WiFi and cell signals where I work and live are fine, so there’s something not working with at least the streaming ability of this app.

3 years ago, torpoulin17

Can’t see full article titles

This is a great news app, especially for listening to the local station. However, the layout of the app makes it impossible to see the full article title before clicking. Makes for a poor user experience since you don’t know the story you’re clicking into.

4 years ago, Avid Rita

Shuts down frequently

Very annoying--streaming cuts out frequently, requiring reboot, but often it simply will not reload. This happens occasionally with other stations, but not nearly as often as WGBH. I listen to a lot of NPR, on both WGBH and also WBUR. I like WGBH for best local coverage of Greater Boston and also Boston Public. But I usually listen only to WBUR when streaming on iPhone because this WGBH app stinks. The only exception: when WBUR is ( much too frequently) fundraising, I cannot tolerate listening to that. And I am a monthly contributor to both.

5 years ago, KitaHC

Took away the most useful part

In previous versions of the app, you could see at the bottom what was playing now, and what was coming up next. Now the only way to find that very useful information is to tap through to schedules, find the right one, find the right time, and enlarge it to read the tiny print on your mobile device. Basically, it’s impossible to do while you are walking or running or working in the garden.

4 months ago, David Z

Terrific station, terrible app

For an excellent station like WGBH to have such a disaster of an app is maddening. The streaming cuts out constantly and also resets whenever the phone bounces between Wi-Fi and cellular connections, which means when I’m walking down the street the app stops every 30 to 90 seconds and then plays underwriting announcements, then requires me to dig the phone out of my pocket and press play again, etc. Really horrible.

2 months ago, Tom from Hingham

With the new GBH app nothings is working!

I’m a huge GBH fan and have been listening to public radio for years - my overall favorite station has always been GBH…morning addition, 1A, J & M , the world etc…love listening to it all, BUT…after the app was changed and updated the station keeps stopping and falling out…I have stopped listening through the app and only listen on the radio when I drive. Please FIX!!!

4 days ago, puravida04

The app no longer works!

I have a current iPhone and software. This used to work but not anymore. I think there is something wrong with the stream. It always says it’s buffering and then shoots an pop up: Alert “There was a problem downloading the audio”. It has been this way for a while. Also does not work from their website, so…

3 years ago, Ericg2400

No audio

This app is my standby local news radio app. I’ve been so disappointed in the last few months when it will not load audio. It has not worked since around October. I’ve tried contacting support but it isn’t available through the app. Please fix!

2 months ago, Boston Brad

WGBH: Please hire a developer to fix this app!

This app has always needed improvement. Glitchy stream and as others say, when bouncing between wifi and cellular it plays the 15 second ad roll over again. This drives me crazy when I am in a part of my house where the wifi drops for a second. But ‘tis just an annoyance.. The reason I’m writing this is because as of yesterday I keep getting “there was a problem downloading audio” when I try to listen. I’ve tried reinstalling the app but no luck. WGBH, could you fix this app so we can listen? If you could fix the wifi/cellular ad roll issue too, this app would be decent enough

5 years ago, Stoneboulder

Too many ads

Seems like I’m hearing more ads than ever on NPR stations and it’s worse on the app. The balance seems to be tipping into the not-worth-listening any more since I am almost as likely to hear an announcement and description about products than news.

1 year ago, eliz321

Doesn’t work

Often it plays the initial ad and then just hangs. When it does work there are 10-15 second blank times. You can’t go back to hear what you missed. PS the WBUR app work just fine, including being able to go back over something you want to hear again. Why can’t GBH provide the same?

1 year ago, CawfeeMilk

Please fix this app I love GBH but the app is beyond frustrating

Whether I’m on mobile data or Wi-Fi it constantly drops for no reason. I do not have the same issue with other streaming apps, including the other Boston radio app, WERS. It rots when Scott Simon or Margery suddenly drips mid-sentence. Thank you.

5 years ago, ron2photo

Amazing

This is the most informative station. I live by their news reports. NO fake or inflated news. You can repeat what you hear and know it is backed by facts.

5 years ago, Dyn0saur

Great app for streaming WGBH and WCRB

I use this app every day for top-rate news from WGBH and NPR; also for classical music from WCRB. Wish list: more access to on-demand content from WCRB On-screen information on streaming music content (as in the old app).

5 years ago, Still not me

Needs a sleep timer

I love to support my local public radio stations. I pledge to both and have both apps on my phone to listen to radio on the go. Please take a look at the WBUR app. It is very simple, uncluttered and functional. Everything this app is NOT.

1 year ago, Jill4

Continuous alert messages “There was a problem downloading the audio”.

App stops streaming more often than not. Despite app being updated, its live stream is more off than on. I live in MA so this is not a distance issue. You should be able to do better than this, WGBH.

1 year ago, Amy from RI

Dropping and buffering all the time

I love listening to GBH especially since I moved out of the range of the station but this app is so frustrating! It drops all the time and then buffers so long I end up canceling the app and restarting it so I can listen to the station again. I am a regular donor to GBH. Please update the app!!!

3 years ago, NPMGL

Poor signal

Ever since I’ve had this app there are regular interruptions of no sound. I’ve had the app for years. No other video, live stream etc does this except for zoom. Does anyone else have this problem?

5 years ago, Dancepup

use TuneIn instead

Pro: it plays the station. So does TuneIn. Con: TuneIn shows which show is playing; this app doesn't. WGBH app shows gratuitous text news instead, and sends you to their awkward website for schedule.

6 years ago, BakingNinja

Bad stop & start issues

Starting over the weekend this app ( and the NPR app) began cutting out approx every 30-60 sec, rejoining after a minute or more. This is not stuttering related to internet connectivity ( no other processes or video apps affected). This is super frustrating, can you fix? Is there a WGBH only iPad app?

5 years ago, esully5

Needs some work

This app is very glitchy. It randomly stops and sometimes restarts on its own, but often you have to go in and pause-play to reconnect. Also it would be nice if you could pause and resume the live stream as you can do on the WBUR app.

5 years ago, feature writer

Confusing to Navigate

Tried to locate a previously aired spot I heard earlier in the week, By searching on the app for the specific article, from the specific program, at the specific time, on a specific date and got nowhere. Useless.

9 months ago, Justin in Boston

Please do better

I love GBH but this app is trash. Get the NPR One app instead and select GBH as your stream and listen there instead (and access other great NPR content as well.)

3 weeks ago, Jwasilko

Won’t stream over cellular

A couple of months ago I started getting a message saying was a problem downloading the audio when I’m on AT&T cellular. If I switch to any Wi-Fi network it works ok.

2 years ago, 3 Dog Doc

CarPlay Support?

A request: please make the GBH app compatible with Apple CarPlay, the way the CRB app already is. That would make it easier to listen and keep up with GBH News.

1 year ago, wholefoodcustomer100

Shutdown often

Very annoying , the audio keeps shutting down , then buffering for a long time and not able to download. Please fix that app

2 months ago, El jefe 74

Glitchy and unreliable

I love WGBH but the app is glitchy at best and right now not working at all on cell streaming. Seems other people have the same issue and it is not being resolved.

1 year ago, Xiohazard

Streaming broken

Used to mostly work. But the live stream is now unavailable/so flaky as to be useless. Very disappointing and it means I listen to this station *much* less these days.

3 years ago, tjdann64

Love NPR. Love GBH. Don’t like the app

This app is glitchy and at times, unreliable. It cuts out for seconds at a time. Very annoying particularly when a guest is in the middle of an important response!

1 year ago, SalemCowboy

Terrible for years

This app has been glitchy for years. Won’t be donating till they fix it, as it’s the main way I listen.

6 years ago, ediemck

WCRB What’s playing feature

With the newest update, the info on WCRB what’s playing is gone.

4 years ago, Some guy looking for a car

Constant pestering to enable notifications

I hope they send me ads.

6 years ago, KateDC

Works great

I love listening to this app. Works great, too.

5 years ago, mydogmoxie

Schedule link doesn’t work since update

Clunky compared to WBUR’s app.

3 years ago, davedalzellsr

Advertising destroys the experience.

What has happened to public radio? There are as many annoying advertisements as there are on conventional AM/FM, corporately owned, stations. How the mighty have fallen.

4 years ago, KDethunder

Streaming simply doesn’t work

I want to stream 89.7 BPR at work but can’t ever get it to los. The data and wifi are abundant where I am so it is not that. Fix this please!

5 years ago, Doogie641

All I want to do is listen to WGBH and this app never works!! Maybe 1/10 times it connects. Please fix!!!! Even the updated version rarely connects :(

1 year ago, helpful feedback56

Support GBH but this app is horrible

Welcome to the 1990s

3 years ago, mvedmond

Very bad app

It is absolutely terrible. It goes off constantly.

6 years ago, Alanma5

Buffering ALL DAY---

Disappointed that all it does is buffer!!!!! Please fix

11 years ago, bradpino

Love the station not the app, please fix it

A for effort, C- fir execution. I moved away from the Boston area and the only way I can listen to the finest orchestra . . . in the world, is online. Also I am a music teacher in a rural area and no budget, this app is one of the ways they were able to become exposed to great musicians. UNTIL, all of the BSO mysteriously went missing. Please fix it!!!??? Pretty please, I might even be willing to make a private donation... If I knew it the app would work!

8 years ago, PopeJoan

No WCRB access - "new feature", but doesn't say what.

I hope the pointless weather feature isn't what needed a new version of the app for, because we lost WCRB streaming, and I am now missing the BSO live. Why would I want weather from this app? If we're streaming the radio online, chances are we're not local to Boston to want local Boston weather, and if it's something to deliver our actual local weather...I have weather apps for that, I don't want it in the app I'm streaming music with. Selecting WCRB from the expanding left menu doesn't seem to quit the app, but it bumps me out to my home screen. If I scroll through open apps, it's still displaying, but still with the WGBH station info, not the WCRB info. Pressing it again just bumps you out of the app again, rinse & repeat ad naseum, you never get through.

10 years ago, Ron von Newton

It's not the app, it's the streaming.

Contrary to some recent reviews, this app works fine. The problem, as I found out when I checked with WGBH, is that they are having difficulties with streaming, whether it's through the app or on their website. Features like on-demand work as they should. They'll surely fix the streaming issue one of these days.

12 years ago, Ketchum Idaho

Great app for audio, news stories and videos

Have enjoyed using this app over the last few weeks. Get my fix of classical and news and this american life. Also get to stream Greater Boston TV which is cool. The member discount section is great too -- haven't cashed in any yet -- should have used it at the aquarium.

12 years ago, Boston Will

Great App for WGBH Fans

Very useful app for WGBH fans, or anyone who wants to get news and music quickly and easily. It even has some good recipes. For those who have a member card, it's great to be able to look up where I can get a member discount close to where ever I am at the moment.

Description

With the NEW, updated GBH News App, everything you love about GBH 89.7 is available on the go! Get the latest news for Greater Boston and beyond, from the award-winning GBH News team and NPR. Listen to the GBH 89.7 live stream with one touch and hear your favorite programs from GBH and NPR. New updates include: -Listen to additional GBH Streams, including CRB Classical 99.5, Jazz 24/7, Celtic Sojourn Radio and CAI, the Cape and Islands NPR Station. -Hear your favorite GBH programs on demand! Listen to Boston Public Radio, Under the Radar and more. -Share the latest news stories on your social media platforms. -Integrate the GBH News App with your car’s dashboard system with Apple Car Play. -NEW-join the conversation with the new upstream feature! Send us a photo or short video if you see a news event you want to share with the GBH Newsroom. -Become a new GBH Member and supporter. -Use the Alarm feature to wake up to GBH News, or play your favorite live program any time during the day.