Mass Media in Great Britain
1. Newspapers
- Freedom of Press: the press is allowed to say what it likes without any interference by the
government
trend towards concentration of newspaper ownership began in the early 1900s
Monopolies and Mergers Act (1965): government is allowed to intervene if a paper is to be transferred to an owner whose papers have a daily circulation of 500,000 or more
a national industry
former centre: Fleet Street, London, now Docklands
very high circulations <circulation figures>
strong influence on public opinion
mainly financed by advertising
in the hands of a few big commercial enterprises
Censorship:
no control or censorship by state
letter to the editor as the most common form to express one's opinion about an article
Press Council:
set up of equal number of professionals Ooumalists) and non professional members
functions:
prevention of unreasonable behaviour and untruthful reporting defence of the freedom of the press
maintenance of certain professional standards
deal with complaints against newspapers and periodicals
- Dailys and Periodicals
Quality papers (The Times, The Guardian)
* appeal to an educated readership
* national and international news
* great variety of topics of general interest
Popular papers (Today, Daily Mirror, The Sun)
appeal to everyday people
sensational news
informal language
Regional Papers (The Scotsrnan; Eastbourne Herald)
Great number of weekly papers and monthly periodicals (The Weekly Telegraph)
II. Television / Radio
Television begun in 1936 and became really popular after 1952 (coronation of QEII)
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
- runs 5 national radio stations (Radio I - 5), 2 TV networks (BBC 1, BBC2)
- offers a wide range of programmes
- financed by the sale of TV licences, programmes and publications
- must be politically neutral and commercially independent.
- only responsible to Parliament
Independent Broadcasting Authority (1]3A)
- runs about 40 local radio stations, 2 TV channels, operates 15 regional TV stations - has to show impartiality in controverdal matters
- has to be accurate in its news coverage
- has to observe certain standards with regard violence
