Introduction to public service television

Public service television started with the BBC, but has now grown to include all the terrestrial broadcasters - the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 (S4C in Wales), Five and Public Teletext.

The BBC is funded by the public through the licence fee that every household with a television has to pay. The types of programmes it must produce and broadcast and the audiences it must serve are described in various documents, including the BBC's Charter.

ITV, Channel 4, S4C, Five and Teletext get most of their funding from advertising. However, in return for broadcasting on the terrestrial network, which allows broadcasters to transmit their programmes to as many people as possible, they have to provide certain types of public service programming.

The Communications Act suggests that public service television should:

  • inform, educate and entertain;
  • offer something for everyone through a wide range of programmes across the five public service television providers;
  • be of a high standard, both in terms of the content of the programmes and the way they are made;
  • include drama, comedy, music, feature films, news and current affairs (both national and international), sports and leisure, educational programmes, science, religion and other beliefs, social matters, programmes for children and young people;
  • reflect the different communities and cultural interests of the UK; and
  • be made across the UK, not just within London and the M25.


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