The Media in Britain current debates and developments

Communication is a vital element in almost anything that society does. Through communication, ideas and feelings are expressed, actions are taken. The role of communication is essential in everyday living. As different communication models suggests like theorists Berlo, Kincaid, Laswell, Schramm and several others, the process is diverse and involves such elements such as the communicator, the message, the channel, and the receiver. In other communication models, several other elements and factors are included.

Communication utilizes different channels and mediums for its purpose in bringing and carrying messages. Related to this is the use of media. Whether it may be print, radio, or television broadcasting, communication as a process went through these channels. Communication can be seen as an aid to social change. Communication used purposively and effectively can bring about many benefits for the society. Communication, as a distinct means in bringing not only information, also can change beliefs and attitudes. This essay aims to discern the role of public service broadcasting in the country today.

To begin, the channel used in this term is implied as broadcasting mediums. Radio and television can be considered as subjects to this statement. Information technology and the development of technology through the years had great contributions in the society. Probably one of the most important contributions in which broadcasting media became an effective channel is its ways to instigate information dissemination. With the emergence and development of broadcasting mediums, society has immediate although ephemeral access to information from almost all vital aspects in the society.

The society has gained much from the information shared in this manner as more and more information are shared to the people. This had brought new knowledge and understanding of how society works, how it is and the important matters in which people need to know what is happening around them. With the development of technology comes the greater access to broadcast media. Broadcasting media had influenced the society, even the world for many years now. The emergence of the use of information technology and effective communication through this media has influenced almost all sectors in the society.

From politics, business, agriculture, religion and other sectors, the broadcast media has impact in bringing the sectors to the peoples’ understanding. The paper evaluates the role of public service broadcasting in London. If the role exist or not, the paper will lay its perspective on how public service broadcasting molded the European societies. Public broadcasting is also referred to as public service broadcasting. The intention of this medium is to serve and direct the diverse needs and desires of the public which is very much well informed.

Public service broadcasting had become one of the leading broadcasting type and medium all over the world. This can be attributed to the human interest of the mediums used in communication. People are interested with other people. Public service broadcasting answers this event with a response to what people needs. To define public service broadcasting, we situate the media employed in Europe nations in which public service broadcasting had became a great influence in its society. Public service broadcasting is a system in which radio, television and other electronic media channels to receive and disseminate information to the public.

The funding of this system is from the public. Whether through donations, license fees, state subsidies are generally included as taxes paid by the society to the state. To further gather funds for the system’s advantage and use, the public broadcasters solicits help from private corporations and firms to gather more funding fro their projects and administration of works in the system. As employed in any broadcasting system is placing advertisements of the private corporations and firms in the broadcasting program.

This method creates publicity for those firms. The Broadcasting Research Unit listed several major goals or characteristics of a public broadcaster. Public broadcasting creates geographic universality as different stations broadcast and is available worldwide. Several station in the UK failed in this category because as this criterion can be satisfied with either having broadcasting affiliations worldwide. The BBC or the British Broadcasting Channel caters for all interest and taste and this led to its affectivity in broadcasting worldwide.

Public broadcasting caters to minorities and has an essential concern for national identity and community. Public service broadcasting also aims to detach itself from any vested interest of prominent individual and situations, even the government. This follows the rule in media being unbiased and impartiality. The broadcasting system and stations should not subject itself from any control of private corporate firms that they advertise, politicians and other influential nature that can cause one-sidedness in their reports. Public service broadcasting is directly funded by the body of users.

Another important goal public service broadcasting stations must aim is achieving a healthy competition through quality programming and true service to others, rather than relying on numbers and ratings. Lastly, guidelines must be implemented to liberate programs of public service broadcasting. These guidelines should not restrict them. As done in the United Kingdom, guidelines serve as the basis of the programs but they are not seen as laws. In European nations, public service broadcasting is funded through a mix of taxes, state license fees and advertising contributions.

As UNESCO states it, the fundamental principle of public service broadcasting is the realization that their purpose is for the people and their needs and benefits. These needs are addressed with the combination of the system’s diversity, skills and resources. The broadcasting media should be noted answerable by the mandate of the people and service to them. As dependent as they may be from private organizations and marketing frims resources, they must remain committed to their services for the people.

This can be done by eliminating necessary influence brought about by the politicians, the government and the firms that gives them their funding. This will yield and must result to the independency the broadcasting media must own. As independence of the broadcasting media is theoretically and somehow evidently applied, the broadcasting sectors must take on the public service role. This role includes the “neutral” nature of the broadcasting sector and its role as watchdogs of the people in the government. In the United Kingdom, the freedom of expression brought in the media is recognized.

Along with several states like Canada and South Africa, media organization in these countries have a say on their managerial decision-making processes, the content and context of their programs, without interference or limited censorship from the state. But independence practiced by these countries also entails their responsibility on the news and reports they broadcast. They serve these obligations with the public’s interest. These measures are done with a number of mechanisms employed by the broadcasting companies REFERENCE: 1. ) Briggs, A. & Cobley, P. eds. (2002) The Media: an introduction (2nd edn.

) Harlow: Longman 2. ) Burton, G. (2005) Media and Society- Critical Perspectives Open University Press 3. ) Curran, J. ed. (2000) Media Organizations in Society London: Arnold 4. ) Curran, J. and Gurevitch, M. (eds. ) (1996) Mass Media and Society London: Arnold 5. ) Scannell, P. (1989) Public Service Broadcasting and Modem Public Life’ Media, Culture and Society 11:135-166 6. ) Stokes, J. & Reading A. eds. (1999) The Media in Britain current debates and developments London:Palgrave 7. ) Watson, J. (2003) Media Communication: an Introduction to theory and practice London: Palgrave