Навчальний посібник для студентів ос «Бакалавр» галузі знань 03 «Гуманітарні науки»

Chapter 10 
Mass media
The media play a central role in Britain’s daily life, informing and 
educating, questioning and challenging – and of course – entertaining. In 
recent years the availability of more radio frequencies, together with satellite, 
cable and microwave transmissions, has already made a greater number of 
local, national and international services possible. The transition from 
analogue to digital transmission technology is now expanding this capacity 
enormously. The Internet is providing, increasingly, an additional medium for 
information, entertainment and communication. 
Television and Radio 
Broadcasting in Britain has traditionally been based on the principle 
that it is a public service accountable to people. While retaining the essential 
public service element, it now also embraces the principles of competition and 
choice: 
· the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), which broadcasts 
television and radio programmes; 
· the ITC (Independent Television Commission), which licenses and 
regulates commercial television services, including cable and satellite 
services. 
· the Radio Authority, which licenses and regulates commercial radio 
services, including cable and satellite. 
The three bodies work to broad requirements and objectives defined 
and endorsed by Parliament, but are otherwise independent in their daily 
conduct of business. 
Television viewing is by far Britain’s most popular leisure pastime: 
over 97 per cent of households have at least one TV set. British television 
productions are sold world – wide. 
BBC 

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The BBC provides two complementary national terrestrial television 
networks: BBC 1 and BBC 2, which transmit 24 hours a day. It also provides 
a range of digital channels, including BBC News 24 and BBC Choice. BBC 
Network Radio serves an audience of 29 each week, transmitting 24 hours a 
day on its five national networks. BBC has 39 local radio stations serving 
England and the Channel Islands, and regional and community radio services 
in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. BBC World Service broadcasts by 
radio in English and 42 other languages world – wide. It has a global weekly 
audience of at least 140 million listeners. BBC Worldwide Television is 
responsible for the BBC’s commercial television activity. It is one of 
Europe’s largest exporters of television programmes. It also runs an advertiser 
– funded, 24 – hour international news and information channel; and an 
entertainment and drama channel broadcast to subscribers in continental 
Europe and Africa. 
The BBC’s domestic services are financed predominantly from the sale 
of annual television licences; there are no paid advertisements. BBC World 
Service radio is funded by a government grant, while BBC Worldwide 
Television is self – financing. 
Independent Television 
The ITC licenses and regulates three commercial television services – 
Channel 3 and Channel 4 (in Wales the corresponding service is S4C), which 
complement each other, and Channel 5 – all financed by advertising and 
sponsorship. Channel 3 programmes are supplied by 15 regionally based 
licensees and an additional licensee providing a national breakfast – time 
service. Licences for Channel 3 and 5 are awarded for a ten – year period by 
competitive tender to the highest bidder who has passed a quality threshold. 
Independent Radio 
Independent radio programme companies operate under licence to the 

Radio Authority and are financed mainly by advertising revenue. There are 
three independent national services: Classic FM, broadcasting mainly 
classical music; Virgin 1215, playing broad – based rock music; and Talk 
Radio UK, speech – based service. About 200 independent local radio 
services are also in operation. Stations supply local news and information, 
sport, music and other entertainment, education and consumer advice. 
Teletext, Cable and Satellite Services 
The BBC and independent television both operate a Teletext service, 
under which information is displayed as “pages” of text and graphics on 
receivers equipped with the necessary decoders. 
Cable services are delivered through underground cables and are paid 
for subscription. Cable franchises have been granted covering areas 
comprising 83 per cent of all homes and nearly all urban areas in Britain. In 
mid – 1999 there were about 12.1 million homes able to receive such services, 
and 3 million subscribing homes. Digital technology is being introduced 
which will support up to 500 television channels. Cable also has the capacity 
for computer – based interactive services, such as home shopping and email. 
Many British – based satellite television channels have been set up to 
supply programmes to cable operators and viewers with satellite dishes. Some 
offer general entertainment, while others concentrate on specific areas of 
interest, such as sport, music, children’s programmes and feature films. The 
largest satellite programmer is BSkyB (British Sky Broadcasting) which, with 
around 7 million subscribers, dominates paid – for television in Britain. It 
launched its digital satellite service in 1998, carrying more than 140 channels. 
Satellite television and cable services are funded mainly by subscription 
income. 
The Press 
National newspapers have an average total circulation of over 13 
million on weekdays and about 14 million on Sundays, although the total 

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readership is considerably greater. There are 10 national morning daily papers 
and 10 national Sundays – five “qualities”, two “mid – market” and three 
“populars”. There are about 1,350 regional and local newspapers, and over 
7,000 periodical publications. 
There is no state control or censorship of the newspaper and periodical 
press, which caters for a range of political views, interests and level of 
education. Where they express pronounced views and show obvious political 
leanings in their editorial comments, these may derive from proprietorial and 
other non – party influences. 
A non – statutory Press Complaints Commission deals with complaints 
by members of the public about the content and conduct of newspapers and 
magazines, and advises editors and journalists. In 1995, the Government 
rejected proposals for statutory regulation of the press and for legislation to 
give protection to privacy. Instead, it endorsed self – regulation under the 
Commission and recommended tougher measures to make self – regulation 
more effective. 
Working practices throughout the newspaper industry have become 
more efficient with the widespread used of advanced computer – based 
technology. Publishers have been able to reduce production costs by using 
computer systems for editing and production processes. 

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