scholarly journals Public service broadcasting, children’s television, and market failure: The case of the United Kingdom

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 298-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanette Steemers
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Market Failure ◽  
Children's Television ◽  
Public Service Broadcasting ◽  
The United Kingdom

scholarly journals ‘It could redefine public service broadcasting in the digital age’

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phil Ramsey
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Final Approval ◽  
Broadcast Television ◽  
Public Service Broadcasting ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Future ◽  
History Of

In November 2015, the BBC Trust gave its final approval for BBC Three to cease broadcasting on television in the United Kingdom and become an online-only entity. The decision is a landmark moment in the history of BBC Television and has significant implications for BBC planning in relation to the continued transition from broadcast television to streaming and download services. In this article, the original proposals for moving BBC Three online are assessed and discussed within the wider context of current BBC policy. It is argued that the rationale used for moving BBC Three online is based on arguments that vary in the extent to which they are backed by evidence. It is also argued that the plans have significant regulatory implications for the future of BBC Television and for the television licence fee in the United Kingdom.

scholarly journals Remoulding Public Service Broadcasting, the British Experience

1999 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Hutchison
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Public Service Broadcasting ◽  
Cette Situation ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
British Experience

Abstract: Public service broadcasting has been under pressure in the United Kingdom in recent years. The reasons for this situation are considered, the challenges which have arisen are examined, and an assessment of the current and likely future health of public service broadcasting in Britain is offered. Résumé : La radiodiffusion du service public au Royaume-Uni fait face à certaines pressions depuis quelques années. Cet article considère les raisons pour cette situation, examine les défis qui se sont présentés et évalue la santé actuelle et éventuelle de la radiodiffusion du service public.

scholarly journals Are public service media distinctive from the market? Interpreting the political information environments of BBC and commercial news in the United Kingdom

2021 ◽  
pp. 026732312110121
Author(s):  
Stephen Cushion
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Television News ◽  
Information Environment ◽  
Political Information ◽  
The Political ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
International Issues ◽  
Market Driven

Public service media face an existential crisis. Many governments are cutting their budgets, while questioning the role and value of public service broadcasting because many citizens now have access to a wide range of media. This raises the question – do public service media supply a distinctive and informative news service compared to market-led media? Drawing on the concept of political information environment, this study makes an intervention into debates by carrying out a comparative content analysis of news produced by UK public service broadcasters and market-driven media across television, radio and online outlets (N = 1065) and interviewing senior editors about the routine selection of news. It found that almost all BBC news and commercial public service media platforms reported more news about politics, public affairs and international issues than entirely market-driven outlets. Online BBC news reported more informative topics than market-based media, which featured more entertainment and celebrity stories. The value of public service media was demonstrated on the United Kingdom’s nightly television news bulletins, which shone a light on the world not often reported, especially BBC News at Ten. Most market-driven media reported through a UK prism, excluding many countries and international issues. Overall, it is argued that the influence of public service media in the United Kingdom helps shape an information environment with informative news. The focus of the study is on UK media, but the conceptual application of intepreting a political information environment is designed to be relevant for scholars internationally. While communication studies have sought to advance more cross-national studies in recent years, this can limit how relevant studies are for debates in national political information environments. This study concludes by recommending more scholarly attention should be paid to theorising national policy dynamics that shape the political information environments of media systems within nations.

Reflection on A Future for Public Service Television

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Public Service ◽  
Digital Technology ◽  
Market Failure ◽  
Political Support ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Public Service Broadcasting

This chapter argues that public service broadcasting (PSB) will become more important to British audiences over the next decade despite the fact that political support for PSB is weaker today than at any time in its history. For decades, regulators developed policies in the belief that PSB would become steadily less justified as technology and deregulation opened up new commercial content for British audiences. If PSB had any continued relevance, it would be in meeting market failure ‘gaps’, i.e. the continued provision of genres which are not attractive to audiences such as arts programmes and religious output. However, this assumption is false. While digital technology has increased the range of content available to consumers, it is also undermining the economics of commercial content providers. Market failure in the provision of high quality British content is more likely to increase than decrease over the next ten years.

Junk Food or Junk TV: How Will the UK Ban on JUNK Food Advertising Affect Children's Programs?

2007 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-14
Author(s):  
Anna Potter
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Cultural Policy ◽  
Television Advertising ◽  
Children's Television ◽  
Junk Food ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Alternative Sources ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Advertising Ban ◽  
Channel Environment

The implementation of a partial junk food television advertising ban in the United Kingdom is adding to the woes of commercial broadcasters already under pressure in a fiercely competitive multi-channel environment. The UK free-to-air channel ITV1 recently announced the closure of its children's programs production unit and children's television production in the United Kingdom has been described as being ‘in meltdown’. The United Kingdom represents a crucial market for Australian producers of children's programs, who have traditionally sourced up to 80 per cent of their production budgets from UK partners. Australian cultural policy is adding to the challenges facing these producers, through the demands inherent in the ‘C’ classification. If Australia is to remain committed to the provision of dedicated children's programs, alternative sources of funding will have to be found.

Public service media beyond the digital hype: distribution strategies in a platform era

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (7) ◽  
pp. 1011-1028 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Donders
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Document Analysis ◽  
Expert Interviews ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Surrounding Environment ◽  
Provision Of Services ◽  
Multiple Devices ◽  
The Media

The notion of public service media is used to describe public broadcasters’ provision of services that contribute to the democratic, cultural and social objectives of society, and this on multiple devices and across various technologies. While most research focuses on the theoretical case for public service media, this contribution analyses how public broadcasters strategically position themselves as providers of public service media. What are their distribution strategies in a market that is no longer dominated by the media themselves, but is characterised by a growing concentration of power in the hands of the so-called platforms and a continuous influx of new entrants? The article is based on a qualitative document analysis of public broadcasters’ strategies in Flanders, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Complementary expert interviews were also carried out. Our main finding is that public broadcasters are distributing more and more varied types of content online, but that digital-only content remains limited and is considered as a subsidiary activity. Ample reference is made to the surrounding environment as a means to legitimise the existence of public broadcasters. However, this is not yet translated into concrete and focused distribution strategies.

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