# Bbc News Rss Scraper (`zerobreak/bbc-news-rss-scraper`) Actor

BBC News RSS Scraper is a Python tool designed to parse and extract global headlines, article summaries, publication timestamps, section categories, and full story links from BBC News RSS feeds. It exports clean, structured news metadata into CSV or JSON formats.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/zerobreak/bbc-news-rss-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [ZeroBreak](https://apify.com/zerobreak) (community)
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $2.99 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## BBC News RSS Scraper: World and Technology Headlines

<p align="center">
  <img src="https://imgur.com/qNffiMG.png" alt="BBC News RSS Scraper" width="800" />
</p>

### Overview

BBC News RSS Scraper collects the latest headlines from the BBC News World and Technology feeds and saves one dataset row per headline. The output includes the headline, short summary, article link, publication date, and thumbnail when available.

The extracted data is suitable for JSON, CSV, and Excel exports. Since the feeds contain only recent items, schedule recurring runs if you need an ongoing collection. Use the `guid` field to identify stories already stored.

### Features

- Collect headlines from the World and Technology sections.
- Filter results by a keyword in the headline or short summary.
- Extract publication dates, article links, summaries, and thumbnail URLs.
- Convert HTML in headlines and summaries to plain text.
- Remove duplicate entries using the `guid` field.
- Continue processing remaining feeds when one feed fails.
- Export structured data for news monitoring and research.

### Use Cases

- **News monitoring:** Track recent World and Technology headlines.
- **Keyword monitoring:** Find headlines and summaries containing specific terms.
- **Research exports:** Save headline metadata as CSV or JSON.
- **Briefing preparation:** Organize short summaries and article links for news digests.
- **Archive comparison:** Compare `guid` values between runs to avoid storing the same story twice.

### Input Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `feedUrls` | Array | World and Technology feeds | List of feed addresses. Only the two verified BBC News feeds are accepted. |
| `keyword` | String | Empty | Optional case-insensitive match against the headline and short summary. |
| `maxItems` | Integer | `100` | Maximum headline rows to save per run. Clamped between 1 and 1,000. |
| `timeoutSecs` | Integer | `300` | Overall run time limit in seconds. |
| `requestTimeoutSecs` | Integer | `30` | Timeout for an individual request, in seconds. |

### Example Input

```json
{
  "feedUrls": [
    "WORLD_RSS_FEED",
    "TECHNOLOGY_RSS_FEED"
  ],
  "keyword": "",
  "maxItems": 100,
  "timeoutSecs": 300,
  "requestTimeoutSecs": 30
}
```

`WORLD_RSS_FEED` and `TECHNOLOGY_RSS_FEED` represent the two verified BBC News feed addresses configured for this actor.

### What Data Does This Actor Extract?

Each headline becomes one dataset row. Headlines and summaries are converted to plain text, and full article bodies are not collected.

#### Example Output

```json
{
  "itemTitle": "Example BBC News headline",
  "itemDescription": "A short summary of the news story.",
  "link": "ARTICLE_URL",
  "guid": "STORY_IDENTIFIER",
  "pubDate": "Sun, 11 Oct 2026 21:36:40 GMT",
  "image": "THUMBNAIL_URL",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-10-12T00:00:00+00:00"
}
```

The example values are illustrative and do not represent a verified current headline.

### Output Field Reference

| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `itemTitle` | String | Headline in plain text. |
| `itemDescription` | String or null | Short summary in plain text, or `null` if unavailable. |
| `link` | String | Article address provided by the feed. |
| `guid` | String | Story identifier used for duplicate detection. |
| `pubDate` | String or null | Publication date from the feed, or `null` if missing. |
| `image` | String or null | Thumbnail address, or `null` if unavailable. |
| `scrapedAt` | String | Collection timestamp in UTC. |
| `error` | String | Included for a failed feed or invalid input. |
| `input` | String | Input value associated with the error. |

### Collection Behavior and Limits

- Only the verified World and Technology feeds are requested.
- Each feed contains recent items rather than a complete historical archive.
- The actor does not paginate through older stories.
- Results are limited by `maxItems`.
- Duplicate story identifiers are removed, and the optional keyword filter is applied.
- A one-second pause is used between feeds during the same run.
- HTTP 429 errors, server errors (5xx), and timeouts are retried up to three additional times, with waits of 2, 4, and 8 seconds. A `Retry-After` header is respected when present.
- Invalid feed addresses, HTTP failures, and non-XML responses produce error rows. The actor continues with remaining feeds when possible.
- Schedule runs at least 5–15 minutes apart for a given feed.

### Attribution and Source Restrictions

BBC News requests attribution using the text **BBC News** and restricts how its feed content may be reused. Personal and non-commercial conditions may apply. Review the source's current terms before using collected data, especially for commercial purposes or republication.

This actor focuses on headline metadata and short summaries. Article text and images may be protected by copyright; collecting a thumbnail address does not grant permission to republish the image. Do not use BBC logos without permission.

### FAQ

#### Can I provide any BBC section feed?

No. Only the verified World and Technology feeds are accepted. Other addresses produce error rows so the run can continue.

#### How many headlines can one run save?

The default is 100 rows, with a maximum of 1,000. The feeds contain recent stories only, so a single run cannot retrieve a full archive of older news.

#### What happens if a feed fails?

The actor records an error row for the failed feed and continues with the remaining feed when possible.

#### Why are the headline and summary named `itemTitle` and `itemDescription`?

These are the dataset field names used by the actor. They contain the headline and short summary supplied by the feed.

#### Does the actor collect full articles?

No. It collects feed metadata, including headlines and short summaries, rather than full article bodies.

### Trademark Notice

BBC and related names, logos, and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Their use in this documentation is solely to identify the source of the data and does not imply affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement, or partnership.

### Disclaimer

This actor is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or officially associated with BBC or its owners. It collects information from publicly available sources. Users are responsible for complying with the source's terms of use, applicable restrictions, and attribution or licensing requirements.

### Is Web Scraping Legal?

Collecting information that is already public is generally legal. Scraping is not the same thing as hacking, and there is no single law that bans it. The limits are the usual ones: do not break into accounts, do not take private or confidential data, and be careful with personal data and copyrighted works. A site's terms can also restrict how you access it. Facts such as a public name, price, or rating are not the same thing as republishing someone's article or photo.

This actor collects information from public pages. It does not log in and it does not bypass access controls.

For a longer explanation, see Apify's article [Is web scraping legal?](https://blog.apify.com/is-web-scraping-legal/).

# Actor input Schema

## `feedUrls` (type: `array`):

Verified BBC News RSS feed URLs. Accepted values are the world feed and the technology feed. Other addresses are saved as error rows.

## `keyword` (type: `string`):

Optional case-insensitive filter applied to the headline and the short summary. Leave blank to keep every item.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of headline rows to save in one run. Values are clamped between 1 and 1000.

## `timeoutSecs` (type: `integer`):

Overall run time limit in seconds. Fetching stops when this limit is reached.

## `requestTimeoutSecs` (type: `integer`):

Per-request HTTP timeout in seconds for each feed download.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Optional proxy for feed requests. Leave Apify Proxy off. The verified BBC News RSS feeds respond without a proxy.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "feedUrls": [
    "https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/world/rss.xml",
    "https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/technology/rss.xml"
  ],
  "maxItems": 100,
  "timeoutSecs": 300,
  "requestTimeoutSecs": 30,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": false
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `dataset` (type: `string`):

No description

## `datasetUrl` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "feedUrls": [
        "https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/world/rss.xml",
        "https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/technology/rss.xml"
    ],
    "keyword": "",
    "maxItems": 100,
    "proxyConfiguration": {
        "useApifyProxy": false
    }
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("zerobreak/bbc-news-rss-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "feedUrls": [
        "https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/world/rss.xml",
        "https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/technology/rss.xml",
    ],
    "keyword": "",
    "maxItems": 100,
    "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": False },
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("zerobreak/bbc-news-rss-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "feedUrls": [
    "https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/world/rss.xml",
    "https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/technology/rss.xml"
  ],
  "keyword": "",
  "maxItems": 100,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": false
  }
}' |
apify call zerobreak/bbc-news-rss-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,zerobreak/bbc-news-rss-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/9PchfjdZKZN7epHMc/builds/CFDZsycuXHm2RHG2S/openapi.json