Discuss whether or not the BBC should be allowed to take advertising and sponsorship in order to fund its new digital channels. What would the implications be for public service broadcasting?

... Discuss whether or not the BBC should be allowed to take advertising and sponsorship in order to fund its new digital channels. What would the implications be for public service broadcasting? The British Broadcasting Company was founded by John Reith and began broadcasting on television in 1939. Reith's vision was of an independent British broadcaster able to educate, inform and entertain the whole nation, free from political interference and commercial pressure. Scannell (1990, p.13) defined public service broadcasting as '...a responsibility to bring into the greatest possible number of homes in the fullest degree all that was best in every department of human knowledge, endeavour and achievement.' Initially, it would seem that advertising and sponsorship would be a good method to fund the BBC's new digital channels. The channels, if only available through pay TV systems like Sky or cable television, should not use licence payers money if some of the licence

want to read more? →