Regulation refers to the laws, legislation and guidelines that are in place to govern the institutions who produce and broadcast TV news. Commercial TV stations (Those that receive funding through advertising) are responsible for licensing all UK commercial television stations. Their website can be accessed through the link below:
The BBC and Channel Four are required to follow the guidelines as outlined by Public Service Broadcasting regulations. According to OFCOM, 'Public service broadcasting refers to TV programmes that are broadcast for the public benefit rather than for purely commercial purposes. These programmes include local news coverage, arts programmes and religious broadcasts. Ofcom’s regulations mean that certain TV and radio broadcasters are obliged to include a specific amount of public service broadcasts as part of their licence to broadcast'. The original regulations that were developed in relation to Public Service broadcasters include the fact that programmes should:
- Educate, entertain and inform
- to be free from commercial and government pressures
- lead public taste, not pander to it
- act as a 'social cement'
According to the gov.org: 'The UK has 5 public service television broadcasters. These broadcasters receive benefits like the licence fee (in the case of the BBC), guaranteed access to the spectrum (or section of the airwaves) they need for broadcasting, and prominence on TV electronic programme guides. In return they commit to providing services that give a benefit to the public, like news, local programming or cultural content.
The public service television broadcasters are:
- the BBC, a public corporation, funded mainly by the television licence fee
- Channel 4, a public corporation self-funded by advertising
- S4C, a public corporation broadcasting in Wales and funded by a combination of BBC funding, government grant and advertising
- Channels 3 and 5, whose licences are held by commercial television companies funded by advertising (currently for Channel 3, ITV in England and Wales, STV in Scotland and UTV in Northern Ireland)
The BBC’s Royal Charter sets up their independence and defines what it does. We review the charter every 10 years. The current charter runs out at the end of 2016, and we will carry out the next review before that.
The BBC Trust regulates the BBC on behalf of the licence-fee payers. The chair of the Trust is appointed by the government.
The Office of Communications (Ofcom) is responsible for licensing, regulating and monitoring other broadcasters'.
No comments:
Post a Comment