One thing i do enjoy is listening to the videos on BBC news. In
windows i could only get the RealPlayer to work.

In ubuntu i seem unable to get ANY player to work. I was able to get
the RealPlayer to work in opensuse but not in ubuntu. Reading the
documentation
https://help.ubuntu.com/7.10/musicvideophotos/C/video.html#video-online

Mozilla plugins for mplayer, xine, and helix tried. medibuntu
repository enabled and win32codecs installed.

I must have overlooked something but ?

The alternative which i'd prefer is to install RealPlayer11.
https://player.helixcommunity.org/2007/releases/RealPlayer/ReleaseNotes.html#Usi\
ng_the_Installer
I downloaded the .bin file RealPlayer11Gold.bin ok but NOT sure of the
next step.
"You can make the .bin file executable by running the "chmod a+x
RealPlayer11Gold.bin" command from a terminal window (substitute the
correct player/build/architecture/compiler version for your system)"

In order to get the syntax correct [re. bracket contents] in Terminal
i looked up "man chmod" - be grateful if someone could advise.

The next step i gather is to do compile ./filename in the Terminal.
The book i've got is a little vague and i'm not sure if i'm on the
right lines.