1. Jason Phillips CMTCOM 220 Media and Community Building Professor Walter Wright July 5, 2008 Public Service Broadcastingin the United Kingdom

2. Is there still a place for Public Service Broadcasting in today's increasingly competitive media environment? Question

3. Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) Goals • To provide specified amounts or certain genres of programs that are likely to appeal to the broadest spectrum of viewers • To ensure a continuing tradition of providing a variety of quality programs • To broadcast with impartiality over a universal, affordable medium

4. PSB Definition • ''PSB refers to broadcasting intended for the public benefit rather than for purely commercial concerns'' (Wikipedia)‏ • Dictionary.com defines ''serve'' as ''to contribute to; promote'' • ''Public'' is defined as ''concerning all the people of a country or community'' BBC Television Centre

5. History • In 1922, the BBC is created as the first PSB, adopting the mission to "inform, educate and entertain" • First commercial broadcaster, ITV, is launched in 1955 • In 1981, the government created Channel 4 and S4C to provide different forms of PSB • Five was launched in 1997 and given a number of public service requirements

6. Quality • The Sykes Committee (1923) laid down rules due to ''potential power over public opinion and the life of the nation'' • These rules stated that the BBC must provide a stipulated amount of news, films, childen's programs, etc. and have changed little over time • When independent television began broadcasting in 1955, they were subject to similar regulations, but were also forbidden to allow advertisers to unduly influence programming • The essence of these regulations was to reinforce the idea that the broadcaster's top priority was the production and distribution of quality programs

7. The Antithesis: Satellite and Cable • Main concern is making money • Modus operandi is to buy the cheapest programs and compromise on quality • Audience is fragmented, creating less revenue for the station • Result is a vast choice of channels with nothing to watch

8. Universality Public Service broadcasters aim for universality in three areas: • Geography • Payment • Appeal

9. Geography • Transmissions should be received across entire nation • Transmitters have to be placed in the required locations regardless of expense to the broadcasting company • Channel 5 is yet to achieve this, but the four other channels have complied

10. Payment Universality of payment is achieved by: • A license fee for the BBC • Advertising for the remaining channels

11. Appeal • Broadcasters strive to achieve universal appeal within various genres • Ratings are measured through BARB (Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board)‏ • By monitoring the ratings, broadcasters are able to ascertain which programs should be axed and which should be followed up or repeated

12. Tradition • The BBC has been in existence for three-quarters of a century and has become a British institution • There is a high comfort level with the traditional format of the BBC and commercial television • These channels do not have the 'American' feel that satellite and cable channels exude BBC World Service celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2007

13. Variety • The variety of programs is an essential part of the mission of the PSB to please the majority of its audience, as much as possible • Often, the most interesting program of an evening is one that the viewer did not plan to watch • If a person were watching a cable or satellite channel devoted entirely to history, he/she might not discover a program of interest in another area

14. Impartiality • Regulations require PSB's to be impartial • Because the audiences are vast and the revenue is constant, PSB's are able to deliver in-depth analysis of current affairs, and keep the public informed of issues that concern the nation as a whole • Satellite and cable companies entertain their viewers with sensationalized or 'dumbed-down' news items

15. Affordability • At approximately £360 per year, satellite and cable channels are considered an unaffordable luxury by many • Terrestrial television costs are considerably less at approximately £85 per year • 99% of people in Britain have a television, but without PSB, this number would be drastically reduced • Because the least affluent people can still afford television; the government, advertisers and broadcasters can reach most of the population

16. Conclusion • Public Service Broadcasters should not be allowed to merge with cable and satellite channels • Public Service Broadcasters should be: • Working together to provide five stations with genuine choice • Strengthening their unique position • Securing the future of this valuable national asset

17. Works Cited Hood, Stuart and Thalia Tabary-Peterssen. On Television. London: Pluto Press, 1987. Public Service Broadcasting in the United Kingdom. 19 June 2008. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 5 July 2008,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_service_broadcasting_in_the_United_Kingdom serve. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). 5 July 2008, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/serve. Welcome to the BARB Website. (n.d.). Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. 5 July 2008, http://www.barb.co.uk/index1.cfm?flag=home.