RTV Theory and Practice - Special Issue

limits to the relative autonom/ of the BBC , but the insulation provided by the license fee remains . This ensures that the corporation is the largest media producer in Britain . It is the major supplier of television programs in Britain , as vvell as being an increasingly important exporter . Radio broadcasting now only forms a small part of the corporation's total output, but the BBC still remains the dominant сотрапу within this sector . The separate radio license fee was abolished in 197 1 due to difficulties of enforcement and BBC radio services are now funded out of the television license . (PeacocK 1986:54 ) In 1984/5, total BBC expenditure was žm774, of which 28/ was spent on radio. (Peacock 1986:13). The corporation controls four national networks, regional services and 38 local stations . The national networks are divided into 4 specialist services : Rađio 1 ; Pop music and youth programs Radio 2; Easy listening and nostalgia Radio 3: Ciassical music Radio 4 : News , drama and 'meaningf ul speech' Though the BBC provides a variety of programs , its bias towards elite culture is evident within its expenditure priorities . Despite having an audience five times as large, Radio 1 only receives 2/ of BBC total expenditure while Rađio 3 gobbles up 4/! (Barnett and Morrison 1988: 15; Peacock 1986:13). However , the success of the BBC can be seen in the high levels of listener satisf-action with its radio services . In fact , a major worry of most listeners is that expansion could undermine the existmg services. (Barnett and Morrison 1988: 34-5) The BBC has used this public support for its stations by resisting successive government plans to reorganize radio . It has been tenacious in defending the outposts of its empire . Its local radio stations were saved from a recommendation that they should be transferred to a local radio authority in a report commissioned by the last Labor government . (Annan 1977; 205-228) Despite the failure of some local stations m the ratings, they are still protecteđ by the monopo)y. Even more surprising is the survival of BBC radio broadcasting during 9 years of Тогу rule . Mrs . Thatcher is supposeđ to have a đeep loathing for the morning news program on Radio 4 because of its 4eft-wing bias'. Vet no BBC rađio station has been privatised , or even forced to rely on advertismg f undmg . The government set up a committee to investigate the BBC which recommenđed the pnvatization of Radios 1 and 2, as well as the ftnancmg of local radio by advertismg. (Peacock 1986: 140-1) But the subseguent Green Рарег on the future of radio broadcastmg rejected the recommendation as . .a narrow view of public service broadcasting'. (Home Office 1987: 21) Not