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Watching TV is undoubtedly the way most British people spend most of their spare time. Perhaps this proves something about. British TV programmes; on the other hand perhaps it proves something about the British.

There are four TV channels: BBC, BBC, ITV (Independent Television) and Channel.

The first two are run by the British Broadcasting Corporation and are non-commercial. This means that they do not show advertisements. The money to run ВВС TV (and radio) comes from a licence, which everybody who owns a TV must buy. The whole of ITV is controlled by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA). It was set up in 1954. There are fifteen different television programme companies, each serving a different part of the country. These companies get most of their money from firms who use them for advertising.

The ВВС first channel resembles the fourth radio programme. Except for the short period when it splits into regions, it broadcasts the same news, comments, plays, sports reports, etc.

The second channel is for minority tastes. It includes occasionally a complete opera. It broadcasts Open University courses outside popular viewing hours.

ITV is run by commercial companies who get their money by showing advertisements. Advertisers’ material appears for one or two minutes at quarter-hour intervals, either between programme-items or in so-called “natural breaks». There are strict rules about the amount of advertising and the type of advertisements allowed (e.g. advertisements for cigarettes are forbidden). The advertisers do not sponsor the programmes or have any direct influence on their content. However, the charge for each half-minute of time is high, and varies according to the likely number of viewers. The programme companies’ financial success depends on their ability to attract viewers, and the programmes themselves in-evitable reflect public tastes. In general ITV companies show programmes aimed at the mass market. ВВС I programmes are also mainly light entertainment; e.g. detective programmes, comedy shows and music. More serious filmy, plays and documentaries are normally found on BBC.

All these channels produce a good mixture of miscellaneous entertainment, music, drama and serious discussion. All succeed in presenting news efficiently, interestingly. The ВВС and commercial channels can both at their best be excellent; and both spend some time producing rubbish. Both radio and television are often criticised for many and contradictory reasons. But there seems to be a common opinion among people familiar with the productions of several countries that, compared with others, the British still deserve praise.

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