Learn A media industry

Role and function of the BBC

The BBC is a public Service broadcaster

BBS trust exits to work in the interests of the licence fee player

Their role is to ‘serve the public’

Their remit is to: inform, educate and entertain

The carter is constitutional basis for the BBC.

This outlines the duties of the trust and ensure that it acts within the public interest.

The BBC produces a wide range of products to meet the needs of all areas of society in line with its remit.

Products include:

TV, Radios, film. Websites, publishing, merchandising.

Private broadcasters

Private sector broadcasters are not constrained by the same guidelines as the BBC.

Do not have a public service role and function.

Are profit making organisations – may still have a public service responsibility build into their licenses (e.g. ITV, C4 etc.)

Are regulated by OFCOM

 

 

How they make money

Private broadcasters make money in a number of ways.

Private broadcasters must make healthy profits in order to continue broadcasting as they do not receive revenue from the tax payer like the BBC does.

Advertising revenue, sponsorship, reality TV – e.g. viewer calls, Sale of programmes/Productions, Merchandising

Regulation

In Britain broadcasting is regulated by an independent authority called Ofcom, the following extract explains what the regulate: - ‘OFCOM is the communications regulator. We regulate the TV and radio sectors, fixed line telecoms, mobiles, postal services, plus the airwaves over which wireless devices operate’ WWW.OFCOM.ORG.UK

Role and function laid out in the Communication

What does Ofcom do?

Ensures the UK has wide range of electronic communications services, including high-speed services such broadband and a wide range of high – quality television and radio programmes.