Mass media in Great Britain

- 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 - mainly financed by advertising - in the hands of a few big commercial enterprises - Censorship: 1) no control or censorship by state 2) letter to the editor as the most common form to express ones opinion about an article 3) 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 1) Quality papers (The Times, The Guardian) * appeal to an educated readership * national and international news * great variety of topics of general interest 2) Popular papers (Today, Daily Mirror, The Sun) appeal to everyday people sensational news informal language 3) Regional Papers (The Scotsrnan; Eastbourne Herald) 4) 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) 1) 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 2) 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 ...