# JW Player. Do I need it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 23, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jw-player-do-i-need-it/769524 "2016-10-23T20:27:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jw-player-do-i-need-it/769524/1 "2016-10-23T20:27:58Z")
I listen to NPR music. When I click on the links they provide, I get a message that says, “Error loading media: File can not be played”. When I double click on the triangle with an exclamation point, it says, “Powered by JW Player 7.5”. Does that mean I need to download this program? I can’t stream any of their videos. NPR had their own media player, and now switched to this. Don’t remember getting a heads up from them. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jw-player-do-i-need-it/769524/2 "2016-10-23T20:52:02Z")
Very important note: **Always** in these thread give the type of machine, the OS including version, the browser and version and other useful information. Diagnosing computer problems without this information is hopeless. I can tell you that JWPlayer is a Javascript program that like all Javascript is downloaded as part of that webpage to play the content on that webpage. You shouldn’t have to do anything. Common causes of failure to properly load a webpage (including scripts) are: 1. Out of date browser. 2. Mucked up browser cache. Esp. if a web page changes how it does thing. Clear your cache. 3. Malware. and on and on. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jw-player-do-i-need-it/769524/3 "2016-10-23T20:52:09Z")
JWPlayer is a [web-based video player. It can be used just to play audio files.](https://www.jwplayer.com/) **You don’t download and install it.** Web developers embed it in a web page so you can view their videos or listen to audio files on the web in a browser. It’s probably a configuration error on NPR’s part. What is the URL to the web page and what browser do you use? ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jw-player-do-i-need-it/769524/4 "2016-10-23T22:02:59Z")
Thank you for your replies. Running OS Sierra 10.2 on MacBookPro Firefox 49.0 This is the URL that gave me the message, [Jazz Night In America: Watch Herbie Hancock Perform Live In Brooklyn : NPR](http://www.npr.org/event/music/498672744/herbie-hancocks-latest-voyage) Again, thanks for your replies. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jw-player-do-i-need-it/769524/5 "2016-10-23T22:33:28Z")
> [@harmonicamoon](#): > > Thank you for your replies. > > Running OS Sierra 10.2 on MacBookPro > > Firefox 49.0 > > This is the URL that gave me the message, [Jazz Night In America: Watch Herbie Hancock Perform Live In Brooklyn : NPR](http://www.npr.org/event/music/498672744/herbie-hancocks-latest-voyage) > > Again, thanks for your replies. I’m guessing you may have NoScript or something similar installed. If so, all you have to do is allow [jwpcdn.com](http://jwpcdn.com).