Govt Regulation 

The regulation of television broadcasting in the UK was initially the responsibility of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), which was established by Royal Charter in 1927. The BBC was granted a monopoly on television broadcasting until the introduction of commercial television in 1955.

The regulatory framework for commercial television was established by the Television Act of 1954, which created the Independent Television Authority (ITA). The ITA was responsible for granting and renewing licenses for commercial television companies, as well as regulating their programming content.

The ITA's regulations included rules on the amount of advertising allowed during programming, restrictions on political advertising, and requirements for impartiality in news and current affairs programming. The ITA also had the power to investigate and sanction television companies for breaches of its regulations.

In 1964, the BBC's monopoly on television broadcasting was broken when the Independent Television (ITV) network was allowed to broadcast to the entire country. This was followed by the launch of a second commercial network, BBC2, in 1964.

During the late 1960s, the regulatory framework for television broadcasting in the UK underwent significant changes. In 1967, the ITA was replaced by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), which had a wider remit to regulate both commercial and public service broadcasting.

The Broadcasting Act of 1967 also introduced a requirement for all television companies to provide a certain amount of educational programming, and established the Broadcasting Complaints Commission, which allowed viewers to make complaints about television programming. These changes helped to shape the regulatory framework for television broadcasting in the UK that exists to this day.

In the early days of television in the UK, viewers accessed programming through over-the-air broadcast signals, using a television set with an antenna. The first television sets were expensive and out of reach for many households, but as the technology developed and became more widely available, prices began to come down, making television more accessible to the general public.

In the 1950s and 1960s, television sets became more affordable, and television ownership became more common. According to a report from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), by the end of 1960, there were over 10 million television sets in the UK, representing about 40% of households.

Viewers did not have to pay directly for access to the BBC's programming, as the BBC was funded by a license fee paid by households with a television set. This fee, which is still in place today, is collected by the government and used to fund the BBC's programming and operations.

Commercial television companies, such as ITV, funded their programming through advertising revenue, rather than a license fee. Viewers did not have to pay directly for access to commercial television programming, but were exposed to advertising during the programming.

In the 1980s, satellite television and cable television became available in the UK, providing viewers with even more channels and programming choices. Initially, these services were expensive and out of reach for most households, but prices began to come down as competition increased.

Today, viewers in the UK access television programming through a variety of platforms, including traditional broadcast television, streaming services, and online video platforms. Some of these services require a subscription fee or payment per view, while others are funded through advertising.

Reference: Article by Greg Scott (Staff Historian), 2024