1. Lecture 7 Mass Media in Britain

2. Abstract zIn this lecture, we look at some aspects of the mass media in Britain---radio, TV & the press. Who owns and controls them, the variety available, & what British people think about them. zThe most frequent leisure activity for British people near the end of the 20th century is watching TV. Meanwhile, radio and press are also indispensable parts of people’s everyday life.

3. Broadcasting---Radio zThe past 8 decades have seen TV & radio broadcasting develop into the most influential medium through which people get their news & entertainment. zThe first public broadcasting was done by private companies in 1922. In 1926 the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was set up, & BBC radio was born, financed out of license fees paid by listeners.

4. Broadcasting---TV zIn 1936 BBC TV, the world’s first public TV service, began broadcasting. This was followed about 20 years later by the first privately owned TV stations. In 1951, there were 600,000 TV views in Britain-5 years later the figure had reached 6 million. By the 1980s, almost everybody in the country watched TV some time during the week, many watching it for at least part of every evening.

5. Basic Structure of Broadcasting z Whilst TV has replaced radio to some extent, radio services have also grown. The current structure of broadcasting is outlined below. Public Service BBC (funded by) license fees paid by viewers (regulated by government appointed) Board of Governors Private Independent TV Companies (funded by) advertising revenue (regulated by government appointed) Independent TV Commission (ITC)

6. The BBC Broadcasts from z2 national TV channels z5 national radio services z39 local radio stations zregional radio services in Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland zBBC World Service radio & TV

7. The ITC Regulates zThe independent TV & radio companies, some of which are national & some regional & zcable TV zdomestic & non-domestic satellite services available to viewers in the UK.

8. Radio zRadio is still an important medium although it is seen as secondary to television. It has a potential reach of 85% of the British population & the average radio listener has the radio on for nearly 21 hours every week. The peak listening time is at 8 o’clock in the morning whereas for television it is at 8 o’clock in the evening. The BBC takes nearly 70% of the total audience; the local 39 BBC radio stations & the 40 independent local stations account for the rest.

9. The 5 National BBC Services zRadio 1: pop & rock music zRadio 2: light music, entertainment & sports zRadio 3: classical music, drama, documentaries & cricket zRadio 4: news, documentaries, drama & entertainment, educational programs for schools & for adults. zRadio 5: sport, children’s programs The External Service of the BBC broadcasts in 37 languages; its English language World Service is probably familiar to us in China.

10. Television (1) zThe first broadcast by the BBC was from Alexander Palace in London in 1936 to a very small audience. zIn 1959 it made its first broadcast coverage of the general election. zNow there are 4 channels broadcasting, 2 the responsibility of the BBC & 2 commercially owned. zViewers have a choice of programs from 8 o’clock in the morning, with Breakfast Television, to late night shows.

11. Television (2) zITV has 24 hour broadcasting. All the channels except channel 4 are obliged by law to be impartial & neutral in dealing with social & political affairs. zAt least 86% of all programs in the peak viewing period on ITV & Channel 4 must come from British or European Community sources. 19% of BBC programs were from foreign sources in 1989; these were mainly from America & were mostly films or series.

12. The 4 Channels (1): Public Ownership zBBC1--40% total audience z--oldest channel z--had monopoly until 1955 z--serious programs & light entertainment zrequired to be impartial & neutral reportage zmakes own programs z BBC2--11% total audience z --started 1964 z --music & arts z --serious drama z --forum for debate z --required to be impartial & neutral z makes own programs

13. The 4 Channels (2): Private Ownership zITV--41% total audience z--started 1955 privately owned by large capitalist organizations z--profit making, through advertising zpopular style programs, quiz shows zrequired to be impartial & neutral reportage zmakes own programs z Channel 4--8% total audience z --started 1982 z has obligation to provide distinctive programs aimed at minority tastes z revenue from advertising z can have biased program but must give balance of viewpoints z buys or commissions programs

14. Types of TV Programs zBroadly speaking the range of programs can be classified into the following categories: z---informative ones: news, current affairs, religion, schools programs, children’s informative z--narrative ones: plays, dramas, TV movies, feature films z--entertainment ones: entertainment, variety music, children’s entertainment z--sports zThe BBC & ITV are obliged to try to maintain a balance of all types of programs.

15. The Role of Public Broadcasting ---Past and Future (1) zDuring the last two decades, ideas about the role of public broadcasting have changed. There has been a trend away from the idea of broadcasting as a public service, to broadcasting being seen as a private commodity to be purchased. Initially radio, & later TV, broadcasting was seen as a cultural, moral & educative force for the improvement of knowledge, taste & manners. It was regarded as a means of cementing society together.

16. The Role of Public Broadcasting ---Past and Future (2) zDuring the 1960s, a decade after the introduction of ITV companies, public broadcasting was still seen to be primarily for the purpose of entertaining, informing & educating the nation.(Pilkington Report) zAnnan Report in 1977 was more critical of the BBC than ITV. (monopoly to duopoly of the 2. As a result, Channel 4 was launched. zPeacock Report in 1986 concluded that the new technologies made the idea of a license fee to fund the BBC more untenable. However, there was a need to preserve some public funding for quality programs to ensure that TV would not become just a medium of light entertainment.

17. Major Concerns zPolitical bias ---60% of the population believed that TV was generally fair & balanced ---58% of the population rely on TV for their main source of news ---68% believed that TV news reporting was the most objective available ---only 6% believe this of the press zthe presentation of sex & violence on the screen

18. The Press zThere is no censorship of the British press. It is completely free to say exactly what it likes about anybody or anything. zThere is a general distinction to be made between national newspapers & local ones zThe former contain news of national interest & are sold everywhere. The latter contain local news & are sold only in that locality.

19. Main National Daily Newspapers in Britain zDaily Courant (1702) zThe Times (1785) zThe Guardian (1821) zDaily Telegraph (1855) zFinancial Times (1888) zDaily Mail (1896) z Daily Express (1900) zDaily Mirror (1903) zMorning Star (1930) zThe Sun (1964) z The Independent (1986) z Today (1986) All are published in London, & all appear every morning except on Sundays. Most sell more than a million copies a day, & cost about 3p each.

20. National Sunday Newspapers zThe Observer (1791) zSunday Times (1822) zNews of the World (1843) zThe People (1881) zSunday Express (1918) zSunday Telegraph (1961) zSunday Mirror (1963) zThe Mail on Sunday (1982) zThe Independent on Sunday (1990) The Daily Telegraph & Sunday Telegraph support the Conservative Party & the Morning Star is Communist. The rest are independent.

21. Major Concerns zIn their desire to secure a mass circulation, some British papers, especially the Sunday papers, have become vulgar (no serious news at all). A great deal of space is devoted to crime, scandal & gossip. Sex and sensational stories of a person’s private life are main interest. zOne or two, notably The Times, the Guardian & the Observer, being free both of party prejudice & of vulgarity, are of the greatest importance in both guiding & expressing free opinions of intelligent & unbiased people.

22. Other Papers & Periodicals zEvening papers: London has two evening papers, the Evening News & the Evening Standard, which are linked with the Daily Mail and Daily Express respectively. zLocal papers zPeriodicals: 3500. Weekly reviews are a very important element in the British press. The most important, published on Fridays, are The Economist, New Statesman & Spectator.

23. Additional Information zNewspaper in Britain and the U.S.Newspaper in Britain and the U.S.