The small screen – television

Television viewing continues to be the most popular leisure activity in the UK. On average, people spend about three and a half hours each day 'watching the box'.

Television (colloquially known as 'T.V.' or 'the telly') is nowadays so popular in Britain that it is hard to believe that the first accept­able televised pictures were transmitted less than a century ago. The BBC was the first authority in the world to provide a public television service, which began in 1936. During the war transmissions ceased, but were resumed in 1946. In 1955 the Independent Broadcasting Authority opened a television service, then a second independent service came into operation in 1982, and commercial television has been successfully developing ever since. Viewers are now able to watch television for many hours a day, if they have time and inclination; moreover, viewers now have more channels at their disposal.

British people can choose from terrestrial, satellite and cable services. Since 1999, many people have opted to subscribe to broadcasters that offer digital services, a development that is reshaping the medium.

The UK has five terrestrial television channels that most people receive through conventional (analogue) rooftop aerials. Between them, these channels broadcast a mix of drama, light entertainment, films, sport, educational, children's and religious programmes, news and current affairs, and documentaries.

Viewers of any of the programmes can watch plays, 'live' transmissions of topical events, sports and athletics, news features, interviews with promi­nent people, musical performances and many other items. Films are often televised, and many of them are made specially for television. Television has attracted many people away from the cinema. The cinema industry is jealous of television, and understandably keeps new films for showing in cinemas; nevertheless, TV occasionally screens a premiere. A frequent criticism of TV programmes is that they too often feature violence and gun-play. On the other hand, it must be said that religious programmes also are transmitted, and many serious and instructive matters are presented.

The BBC provides two national networks that are financed mainly by a licence fee, while there are also three licensed commercial television services – ITV (Channel 3), Channel 4 and Channel 5 – which are largely funded by advertising. In Wales, S4C (Sianel Pedwar Cymru) broadcasts some Welsh-language programmes on the fourth channel.

Under the Communications Act 2003, you need a television licence to receive or record television programmes. This applies if they are received by a satellite, cable or land based transmitter. If you are watching any satellite service, controlled from within or outside the UK, you must have a television licence.

Cable and satellite television arrived in the UK in 1989. However, the sector was revolutionised in the late 1990s by the commercial debut of digital television, which offers many more channels, greater potential for wide-screen broadcasts and interactivity, and improved sound and picture quality.

Today, people who want additional television choice can acquire a set-top box, pay a monthly subscription fee and receive services by one of three main methods: digital satellite (dominated in the UK by British Sky Broadcasting's SkyDigital), digital cable (dominated by NTL and Telewest) and digital terrestrial television (dominated by ITV Digital). Some people who signed up to cable and satellite before the arrival of digital television are still receiving analogue services. But this option is gradually being phased out by the platform operators. The main source of funding for the digital platforms is subscription income but the arrival of digital has also opened up the possibility of generating revenue through interactive services like gambling, shopping and banking.

Vocabulary:

1. Find 3 synonyms used to name television.
2. Find 2 words meaning ‘to broadcast’. What other synonyms can you think of?
3. Find 2 synonyms to the word ‘to show’. Can you think of any other words with this meaning?

Mark the statements as true or false, then correct the false items:

__1. The most popular leisure activity in Britain is going to the theatre.

__2. TV transmissions have been available to the public since the 19^th century without ceasing under any circumstances.

__3. Cinema is more popular with the UK public, so television has hard time retaining its audience.

__4. Public television in Britain is financed mainly by a licence fee, while commercial services are mostly funded by advertising.

__5. In contrast to the USA, you do not need a licence to receive TV broadcasts in the United Kingdom.

__6. The arrival of commercially available digital television has brought significant positive changes to the industry.

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Read the text explaining the highlighted words and combinations, then answer the questions:

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