Radio in Britain

Radio

Useful expressions

1.to operate a radio set 2.to switch the radio on/off

3.to turn the radio on/off 4.to tune in

To tune in to a programme 6.to tune on a station

To pick up a station 8.to tune out

To switch over to another programme 10.to slip through the channels

11.to turn the radio up/down 12.to turn the volume up/down

To listen to the radio 14.to hear smth. (information)

15.over the radio /on the radio 16.on the air/off air

To keep of air 18.to drop frequency

To put the radio on 20.to be on

Exercise 2. Match the Russian words in the left box with their equivalents in the right box.

1. порог слышимости 2. вещание на другие страны 3. головная станция 4. кабина комментатора 5. грубая настройка 6. работать на батареях 7. активная аудитория 8. сетевое радио 9. искажение звука 10. настройка частот 11. викторина 12. радиолюбитель 13. музыкальная программа 14. вести передачу 15. время дневных передач 16. приемник 17. убавить звук 18. радиослушатель 19. конферансье 20. усилитель 21. зона непосредственного вещания 22. непрерывная передача легкой музыки 23. радиосвязь сотовой структуры 24. речь дикторов 25. вещательная компания 26. автоматизированное вещание 27. популярная программа 28. ведущий программы 29. ночной концерт 30. звукорежиссер

1. coarse tuning 2. wired radio 3. howl 4. panel game 5. platter programme 6. receiver 7. consumer 8. immediate signal area 9. jukebox programme 10. cross frontier broadcasting 11. housewife time 12. magnifier 13. hearing threshold 14. commentary studio 15. to air 16. the network standard 17. anchorman 18. automated format radio 19. radio ham 20. audio operator 21. cellular radio 22. biggie 23. frequency trim 24. to run off batteries 25. feedback 26. to turn the radio down 27. graveyard shift 28. broadcasting organization 29. compere 30. hub station

Exercise 3. Translate from English into Russian.

1. A spoken-word station basically carries news programmes, quizzes, serials and current affairs. 2. Major broadcasting corporations as British Broadcasting Company not only cover their country but carry cross-frontier broadcasting. 3. Easy-listening music stations suit tastes of a large audience and therefore enjoy vast popularity among different social and age groups of people. 4. A radio set is an apparatus for receiving wavelike motions by witch radio broadcasting is carried. 5. Radio talk shows are often called phone-ins because they invite listeners to telephone and give opinion on a certain topic or take part in a discussion.

RADIO IN BRITAIN

Here is a brief report on British radio broadcasting. Read it carefully and point out all the services provided by the British Broadcasting Corporation (the BBC). 2. Two public bodies are responsible for radio service throughout Britain. What are they?

British radio broadcasting has traditionally been based on the principle that it is a public service accountable through the Parliament. Following 1990 legislation it is also embracing the principle of competition and choice.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (the BBC) is the word’s oldest broadcaster and provides radio service to both UK and international audiences. BBC international multi-language radio service (BBC World Service) is funded by the Government and seeks to present unbiased news and to reflect British opinion and the British way of life. Its output includes news bulletins, current affairs programmes and political commentaries along with sport, drama, phone-ins and general entertainment. National BBC operates 5 national and 32 local radio stations which do not carry advertising and sponsorship.

Until recently, radio in Britain was a monopoly of the BBC. Now there are three commercial national radio stations and local independent commercial radio in the United Kingdom. All non-BBC radio services are licensed and regulated by the Radio Authority.

Exercise. Read and translate the text.

National radio stations operated by the BBC are available throughout the United Kingdom. Most programmes are produced and broadcast from Broadcasting House in Central London, but all do feature programmes from other areas of the country. As with BBC television, BBC radio gets its revenue from the TV license system and carries no advertising. All BBC national stations along with the BBC World Service are also broadcast across Europe on the Astra Satellite System on spare UK Gold and UK Live audio channels.

BBC Radio 1 was a pop music based station which from its inception and throughout the 70's and 80's, was hugely successful, commanding weekly audiences of up to 24 million listeners. The most famous «Radio 1 Roadshows» toured British holiday resorts throughout the summer and were broadcast live on-air. The disc-jockeys themselves became famous in the UK and the daytime music format of the station was one chart pop music, whilst evening programmes reflected up-and-coming bands, rock and new-wave music. The Station Controller, Johnny Berling, had helped to make the station well-lowed by its listeners by appealing to all age groups. But though Radio 1 was Britain's most listened to radio station, in 1993 it was decided by the BBC director John Bert that station was not sufficiently different and distsnctive from the commercial opposition. That year the target audience was changed from 13-40 to 13-25 and a new Station Controller was appointed who was to carry out the changes to make Radio One more elitist. Many of the popular DJs were sacked or resigned because of the policy change (fifteen were to leave in total). The new disc-jockeys were compelled to stick to a rigid playlist which tended towards «Britpop» rock oriented and less «Top 40». The station's music policy became mainly bands such as Oasis, Blur, Happy Mondays; Status Quo and the Beatles were banned and in fact no records older than five years were allowed. Now the station gives a significant amount of airtime to dance music, jungle and rap are broadcasted by night at weekends. Besides subjects that are discussed by the newer daytime DJs are not always suitable for a younger audience. Unfortunately, following the loss of popular format, Radio 1 is no longer «Britain's Favourite Radio». This accolade has, since May 2001, belonged to BBC Radio 2, with a target audience of 45 and more. Having sport coverage to Radio 5, the «pipe and slippers» channel broadcasts a format similar to the general style of programming that could almost be early 90's Radio 1 except for the jingles; so to say, Radio 1 format still lives on.

Besides Radio 1 and Radio 2 BBC three more national stations also called by numbers. BBC Radio 3 is a very high-brow classical music, arts and culture station and has a rather small but excessively loyal audience who lobby the BBC intensively if any changes are made to the schedule. BBC Radio 4 is a speech-based channel, probably unique in the world of radio. It features a number of news and feature programmes, scheduled more like a TV station than a modern radio network. Many programmes have been running for 50 years and more, starting on the former BBC Home Service. Programmes include the «Archers», the world's longest running serial, Alistair Cooke's «Letter from America», «The World at One» and «Desert Island Discs». BBC Radio 5 is another speech-based channel, recently introduced and very popular. Radio 5 Live is a rolling news and live sport channel. Accurate, informed and available 24 hours a day, it covers live all major sport and news stories along with discussion shows and phone-ins. With its faster pace, Radio 5 has a much younger audience profile than traditional Radio 4.

Exercise. Study the text carefully and find the answers to the following questions.

1. How many national radio stations are operated by the BBC? What are they? 2. Which of the stations was once hugely successful and enjoyed enormous popularity among listeners of all age groups? What made the station well-loved by its listeners? What were the reasons for its being reformed? Do you think the measures were really necessary? Explain what the change was. Did it improve the format station or caused a considerable decrease in its listenership? 3. Which of the station has a format similar to that of early 90's Radio 1? Is it now the most popular radio station throughout Britain? 4. Explain in brief what each of the rest BBC radio stations specializes in. 5. Suppose you lived in Britain, which of the BBC national radio stations would you choose (would never listen to)? Give your reasons.

Exercise Now try to match the following parts without looking back into the text.

RADIO 1	a speech-based channel with a rather unusual schedule; features a number of news and many-year-running programmes.
RADIO2	the most popular pop-music station some ten years ago; now specializes in rock music and has a rather reduced audience.
RADIO3	a speech-based channel, recently introduced and very popular; available 24 hours a day; offers live sport and news stories, discussion shows and phone-ins; its fast pace attracts young audience mostly.
RADIO4	has a format similar to the former Radio 1 and now is the best-loved station in the United Kingdom.
RADIO5	specializes in classical music, arts and cultural programmes and has small but very loyal audience.

Exercise 4. Match the Russian words in the left box with their English equivalent in the right box:

1.карикатурист 2.журналист 3.журнал 4.рубрика «разное» 5.хит-парад 6.интервью 7.юмористическое издание 8.желтая пресса 9.подзаголовок 10.газетная полоса с местными новостями 11.общий обзор 12.альманах 13.суперобложка 14.обложка 15.художник-график 16.страница 17.модный иллюстрированный журнал 18.экстренный выпуск 19.журналист, ведущий определенную рубрику 20.критик 21.раздел светской хроники 22.редактор 23.ежегодник 24.приложение 25.международные новости 26.заголовок

1.extra 2.editor 3.glossy 4.headline 5.censor 6.page 7.minder 8.cover 9.miscellany 10.local page 11.supplement 12.cheeriodical 13.black-and-white artist 14.undertitle 15.itnernational update 16.caricaturist 17.interview 18.yearbook 19.overview 20.gossip column 21.dustcover 22.column conductor 23.hit-parade 24.yellow press 25.magazine 26.miscellanea

Exercise 5. Find words in this word search grid to match the following definitions:

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