ABSTRACT
In 2004, Ofcom began a comprehensive and far-reaching review of who is doing what in the public service broadcasting arena. This will involve detailed analysis of all the UK public service broadcasters: BBC, ITV1, Channel 4, Five, S4C and all related television services including the extremely popular and comprehensive BBC websites. Broadcasters have been asked to provide details of schedules, content and cost of practically all the programmes they have shown in the public service sphere since 1998. Ofcom is asking 6,000 people about what they want from public service broadcasting. The outcome of this review will feed into the government’s review of the BBC Charter. Surveys show that the public always values ‘good television programmes’. Public service broadcasting is one way of ensuring this. Until 1982 when Channel 4 began broadcasting there was a duopoly of broadcasters – just the BBC and ITV – with light touch regulation. Now with multichannel commercial television as a strong force there is more regulation. The 2003 Communications Act introduced quotas to ensure that certain types of programmes, such as arts, religious programmes and current affairs, do not disappear from the schedules of commercial television.
