an object of envy and admiration
it’s export record and high audience rating
innovation and willingness to experiment
to change the basis of television
free market ideology
regulatory control
‘ white heat ’ of competing with satellite television
genuine and open competition
auctioned TV transmission licence
to use discretion in awarding franchises
the top financial bidders
advertising revenue
provide greater choice
to invest heavily in origination of new programmes
growing anxiety concerning pornographic and violent programmes
under the obscenity or public order law
to be empowered to veto transmission
high number of joint ventures
indecent programmes
to imported material
to express considerable concern at the amount of sex and violence portrayed on TV
to be suspicious of government’s intentions
zeal for market-led reform
tough and challenging programmes
The strength of British television lies in its high quality. 'Go anywhere in the world,' one leading political journalist has written, 'and British television is an object of envy and admiration.... The foundation of Britain's excellence in the field of television is the tradition of public service broadcasting as upheld by the BBC Many involved in television, including foreigners living in Britain, claim that British television is the best in the world. Its export record and high audience ratings certainly suggest it is among the best. The reason lies in the quality of its innovation and its willingness to experiment. For example, British television enthusiastically took The Muppet Show, when its creator, Jim Henson, had been rejected by the American networks. In the fields of documentary, comedy and satire, or drama, British television is a world leader.
In 1990 the government passed the Broadcasting Act, which promised to change the basis of television from 1992 onwards. This act was inspired by two factors: the Conservative government's free-market ideology and the reality that satellite television would make it possible for viewers to receive programmes transmitted from outside Britain, which would effectively destroy the regulatory controls previously applied by government. In order to prepare Britain's own commercial television for the 'white heat' of competing with satellite television for audiences, and thus for advertisers, the intention of the Act was to open British commercial television to genuine and open competition. In 1992, an Independent Television Commission (ITC) replaced the Independent Television Authority and auctioned television transmission licences. It had the authority to use its discretion in awarding franchises on the basis of high quality, not merely to the top financial bidders. It is a recognition that there cannot be a wholly free market in television. As a result of the auction two major networks, Thames Television and also the morning service, TV-AM, both lost their franchises. The ITC also planned for a fifth television channel. But the danger remains that a larger number of channels will not, as is argued, provide greater choice. The greater the number of transmitting channels, the smaller the audiences will be for each individual channel. The smaller the audience, the less will be the advertising revenue possible, and if less advertising revenue is expected the production budget will be proportionately smaller. This is bound to hit hard a wide range of programmes, particularly minority ones.
It remains to be seen how this affects television in the long term. By the late 1990s it seemed that companies were generally less willing to invest heavily in the origination of expensive new programmes unless they were assured they would enjoy a franchise long enough to recoup their investment. Television is still unquestionably something Britain does really well. It remains to be seen whether the Broadcasting Act supports Britain's leading position, or weakens it.
Ever since the beginning of the 1980s there has been growing anxiety concerning pornographic and violent programmes. The Broadcasting Act provides for increased censorship. Any policeman of superintendent rank or above may demand access to any untransmitted material under the obscenity or public order laws. In addition, the Broadcasting Standards Council, created In 1989, is empowered to veto transmission of any programme it considers indecent. It is also empowered to censor imported material, although this is made meaningless by the high number of joint ventures in which British television is now engaged. Many parents have expressed considerable concern at the amount of sex and violence portrayed on television, particularly before 9 p.m., the time when younger children are expected to have gone to bed. On the other hand many journalists were suspicious of the Conservative government's intentions and, in the words of one of them, '[found] it hard to separate zeal for market-led reform from a desire to destabilise a system capable of delivering tough and challenging programmes.' They are likely to watch Labour policy towards the media very closely.
NOTES
white heat – n (U) the very high temperature at which a metal turns white
discretion – n (U) use / exercise your discretion the ability and right to decide exactly what should be done in a particular situation: at sb’s discretion (= according to sb’s decision) The awards are made at the discretion of the committee. (+ over /as to) People want to have more discretion over their working hour
bid – n (C) an offer to pay a particular price for sth especially in an auction: (+ for)
They put a bid in a bid for the house. / the person who places the highest bid / We’ve made a bid of nearly $400m for the company. / A takeover bid for the airline was launched today.
bid – v to offer to pay a particular price for goods, especially in an auction: bid (sb) sth for sth
She bid $1000 for a Victorian chair. / What am I bid for 227? Shall we start at $500? (+ against)
bidder – n (C) someone who offers to pay a particular amount of money for something that is being sold: The antiques will be sold to the highest bidder (= the person who offers to pay the most)
revenue – n (U) (also revenues plural income, especially total annual income of a state or an organization: sales and advertising revenue; increased revenues from sales of personal computers;
indecent – adj sth that is shocking and offensive, usually it involves sex or shows parts of body that are usually covered: He was found guilty of possessing indecent photographs. 2 completely unacceptable: leave a party in indecent haste (e.g. too early or too soon to be polite) – indecently adv: an indecently shot skirt – indecency – n (U) being indecent; indecent behaviour: (eg showing one’s sexual organs in public)
obscenity – n plural obscenities 1 (U) sexually offensive language or behaviour especially in a book, play, film etc: laws against obscenity 2 (C usually plural) a sexually offensive word or action ~ swear: drunken youths screaming obscenities.
zeal – n (U) ~ (for / in sth) ~ (to do sth) fml great energy or enthusiasm: show zeal for /in the cause; religious / missionary zeal. zealous - adj full of zeal; eager: a zealous philanthropist/preacher; zealous determination