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1. Unit 25 Assignment 2:
Issues and Debates about TV and Video

2. Public Service Broadcasting
• What is it?
• The broadcasting provision of information, education and entertainment
• The PSB principles were established in 1925 by the first Director General John Reith.
• The PSB principle first applied to BBC radio, then BBC TV in 1936 and was later
applied to all terrestrial TV channels (ITV, Channel 4 & Channel 5)
• PSB requirements do not apply to Satellite and Cable channels.

3. Public Service Broadcasting
• What are the arguments for PSB?
• Objective information about the world.
• A wide range of programming – niche audiences are catered for.
• The audience has access to cultural and arts programming.
• The wide range of programming is important in a democratic society
• Not commercial

4. Public Service Broadcasting
• What are the arguments against?
• Restricts how TV channels can be run.
• Too many different public interests for all to be catered for.
• Viewers don’t get enough choice in the TV that is available
• Opinions shown could be biased and mislead the audience – Hypodermic Model.