Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

Precisely what counts as public broadcasting varies from one national media system to the next across the globe. Common to most definitions, however, is the understanding that it revolves around a public service ethos that may be contrasted with the economic (profit-oriented) priorities of private or commercial broadcasting. A continuum of sorts exists between the model of public broadcasting introduced in the US, on one end, and that developed in countries such as the UK, Germany, Japan, and Australia, on the other. In the US this type of programming constitutes a small proportion of audience share in television and radio, and is perceived to be of marginal significance in public life. The reverse is the case in the UK, for example, where public service broadcasting – led by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) – is the predominant institutional arrangement wielding considerable influence. Public broadcasting systems around the world can be situated within the parameters of this continuum. Several contentious issues – and conflicting philosophies – have informed the historical evolution of public broadcasting, all of which remain pertinent today. In the US, broadcasting was defined from the outset as a business enterprise, raising concerns about the quality and diversity of its provision – especially in public service terms – as well as its relationship to government regulation. ... log in or subscribe to read full text