ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the development of Britain’s ‘mixed ecology’ television industry, which comprises a mix of public service broadcasters, pay-TV operators, and new SVoD services. The chapter is divided into four main sections. Part one considers the growth of television as a public service under the auspices of the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4 (1950s–1980s). Part two details how the concept of public service broadcasting came to be challenged during the 1980s and 1990s on a number of different fronts. Part three examines the move from analogue to digital television (1998–2012). Finally, part four details the development of Britain’s highly competitive contemporary ‘online television’ industry.
