Mass Media: Radio and TV

Basic information:

If you want to listen to the radio, you switch on your radio set and tune in to a broadcasting station. You need an aerial (BE)/antenna (AE), a receiver, an amplifier and loudspeakers to receive good stereo quality on VHF (AE: FM). You can listen to the news and the weather forecast, to pop(ular) songs or classical music, to radio plays or to live broadcasts of sporting events, depending on what your favourite programmes are.

The BBC, which used to have a complete monopoly of radio and televi­sion broadcasting, has always been financed by annual payments/ licence fees. Though under government control, the BBC has full autonomy in choosing the content of its programmes and in running its own affairs.

ITV consists of 15 regional television companies. The programmes it broadcasts are financed by commercial advertising.

There are also many private and independent local radio stations, which are financed by companies paying to have commercials, i.e. advertisments for their products, broadcast on the radio. Sometimes advertisers even sponsor their own programmes, e.g. a quiz show or a serial.

In addition to the thousands of local radio stations in the USA, there are three major national networks – CBS, NBC and ABC – which dominate the radio services. Being the largest commercial TV companies in the country, these three networks are also responsible for the majority of TV programmes broadcast nationwide. Unlike the commercial networks, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is largely financed through donations.