How Of Commercial Television Upon Essay Example

publicly funded monopoly which enabled them to broadcast without concerns of commercial interests or competition. Lord John Reith, the Director General of BBC, created guidelines that broadcasting should follow.

The principles of ‘public service broadcasting’, which we recognize today, were sown during this time. These principles emphasized that broadcasting should provide ‘the best of everything’ and prioritize quality programming over profit. They also stated that broadcasting should serve everyone with political impartiality and that broadcasters should not compromise on the quality of their content in an attempt to attract listeners. This philosophy was particularly important since the BBC had a monopoly over all British broadcasting, making it less likely that shows would be incentivized to lower their standards to boost audience numbers. In 1926, the Crawford Committee recommended that a charter be introduced to regulate the content and quality of broadcasting in the interest of the nation.

The provisional birthplace of public service broadcasting and the modern BBC was here. The charter was created to enforce the BBC's values and to educate, inform, and entertain viewers - still a backbone of the corporation today. The charter also introduced mixed programming, which had not been previously considered. This was likely due to the BBC's obligation as a service provider to offer viewers choice and entertainment while upholding the trinity.

In 1954, the United Kingdom established the Independent Television Authority (ITA) to meet the demand for a second television service. The ITA aimed to provide a supplementary television service supported by advertising and offered a means to showcase new and varied programs, as they were provided by private contractors. This competition posed a challenge

for the BBC, as the British public believed they deserved more than a one-dimensional list of informative programs lacking entertainment value, especially since they were paying licensing fees. As Burton Paulu (1961) aptly stated, “With competition the BBC faced some real challenges.”

Although it strives to offer a variety of services - including public, cultural, informational, and entertaining programming - the BBC's televised revenue amounts to less than half that of Independent Television. However, if the BBC loses too many viewers to its competitor, it may have to sacrifice some of its licensing fees, compromise its balanced schedule, and suffer a decrease in status. Due to its recent establishment as a new player in the market, the ITA has already presented challenges for the BBC. Adjusting their programming may demonstrate how commercial television has significantly impacted the British Broadcasting System, but the extent of this impact remains to be seen.

Despite a desire for expansion, the BBC maintained a sense of "controlled growth" in accordance with PSB codes to uphold their standards. This led to the establishment of BBC2 and a network of local radio stations during the mid 1960's. However, the BBC maintained their belief that the British viewing public required protection from potentially harmful content due to perceived sensitivity.

Pilkington (1962) conducted research on the public's viewing habits and discovered that when people are at home, they are more receptive as they are in a relaxed state of mind. Additionally, audiences consist of family units that often include young children who may be more susceptible to external influence. Pilkington (1962) also concluded that the presence of competition from channels such as the BBC and ITV

was detrimental to viewers' cognitive function.

It is a common belief that commercial television stations prioritize audience size over program quality. This leads to a question about whether people's opinions of "quality" programming differ given the large viewership and enjoyment of commercial stations. The answer is affirmative, indicating that the BBC may have been overlooking this aspect. It stands to reason that individuals would not be tuning into something they did not personally deem as quality.

The impact of this research on public service broadcasting was significant. Despite this, the BBC did not take the findings seriously. Instead, they commissioned a soap opera, Eastenders, in order to keep up with the increasing popularity of ITV. This move was seen as a major adaptation to the changing times. On the other hand, Granada had already achieved tremendous success with their soap, Coronation Street, which was first aired during Christmas in 1960 and is still running today. Soaps are now considered one of the most inferior forms of television entertainment due to their simplified storylines and easy-to-follow dialogue. Despite this, they remain popular with working-class viewers in Britain.

It can be inferred that in competing with ITV, the BBC has compromised their programming standards to cater to public demand. This is evident from the fact that Coronation Street has consistently outperformed Eastenders in annual television awards. Consequently, Eastenders may have resorted to creating lower quality programmes than even ITV. In 1982, Channel 4's establishment sparked controversy as it exclusively purchased programmes from independent companies, without producing any of its own content.

The inclusion of marginalized voices on TV gave broadcasters the opportunity to showcase minority groups, leading to

greater representation for Asians, blacks, and homosexuals in media. In 1985, BBC1's Eastenders aired its first black character despite being set in multicultural Eastend London. As time passed, Eastenders' storylines became increasingly unrealistic as it competed with ITV's Coronation Street for audiences. While some may view commercial television as having lower quality programming, it remains a significant force in shaping popular culture.

Although ITV has its own set of values and ethical standards, it is crucial to avoid regarding any viewpoints as definitive truths. The government, like the BBC, maintains the authority to decline programs for the betterment of society. The initial section of the Television Act requires the ITA to generate broadcast services with exceptional quality in both transmission and content. Subsequently outlined in the same legislation is a requirement that all programs meet a high standard of excellence.

Paulu's (1961) guidelines dictate that television programs must avoid offensive content, promotion of criminal behavior, and negative portrayals of living individuals. However, the values of broadcasting underwent a significant shift during the 1980s. The Peacock Report (1986) argued that commercialization was essential to uphold high standards while educating and entertaining viewers. Despite later criticism for its inaccurate predictions and framing of broadcasting arguments, the report prompted the BBC to reconsider public service broadcasting as viewers gained more options.

Although the Peacock Report influenced the BBC's direction, it was not the sole reason for their shift away from public service broadcasting due to emerging market competitors. The BBC's monopoly was no longer secure, prompting a need for change. Sky TV, introduced in 1989 by Rupert Murdoch, quickly found its place in the British market with a focus on a

wider audience and lower moral standards than the BBC.

Murdoch's plan was to launch a satellite into space and broadcast shows from other countries without the strict regulations that British networks had. The quality of these shows exceeded even the standards of commercial TV stations in the UK. The surprising part was that this was entirely legal because the signal didn't originate in the UK, but from an external source. This was similar to the early 1900s when British radios picked up signals from "Radio Normandy" and "Radio Luxembourg."

'This challenged Public Service Broadcasting chiefs to change their ideas about the content of their radio programs.' This statement refers to Britain's first commercial Broadcasting experience, which occurred before the ITA was formed. Many years later, Sky TV seems to be following a similar approach. The BBC currently broadcasts a wide range of programs, catering not only to the majority but also to minority groups. From soap operas to chat shows and documentaries, there is something for everyone. Hence, it is evident that the BBC has deviated from its complete PSB stance.

Despite now competing with other commercial television groups, the BBC still strives to uphold their PSB values. Although their aim is to remain unaffected by political and social pressures, some argue that shows like Eastenders and the Graham Norton show indicate change since the 1950’s. However, it is difficult to accuse commercial television of lowering TV standards since these standards were established by a pre-war government in the 1920s. These standards did not necessarily cater to the needs and desires of a diverse, working-class Britain. ITV, on the other hand, arguably did cater to these groups.

In

current standards, viewers determine the quality of programming, not the broadcasters. This suggests that public service broadcasting (PSB) values may be outdated. As a result, concerns have arisen about whether Britain still needs PSB. With a plethora of television channels being provided by Sky and DVDs readily accessible from outside the UK, viewers can easily watch their preferred content at their convenience. This suggests that PSB may be losing its influence and becoming less relevant.

In order for the BBC to survive in the broadcasting industry, it was imperative for them to modernize and adjust their standards. The changes made by commercial television played a role in the BBC's adaptation to the modern market. Despite the vast amount of options available to viewers, the BBC remains a major contender in broadcasting. However, it seems that their definition of quality programming is no longer unanimously shared. Ultimately, PSB has evolved to serve the needs of viewers over time and will need to continue adapting to accommodate the increasing availability of alternative viewing options.