British television broadcasting has a range of different broadcasters, broadcasting multiple channels over a variety of distribution media. Note: broadcasting is also the old term for hand sowing. ...

Major broadcasters

There are six major broadcasters:

Free-to-air analogue terrestrial networks

Before the advent of digital television in the UK, five main television channels dominated British television. With the increasing popularity of digital television, all are expanding and offering a portfolio of digital-only channels to viewers.

BBC

The BBC is the world's oldest and biggest broadcaster, and is the country's first and largest public service broadcaster. The BBC is funded by a television licence fee that all households with a television must pay. Its analogue channels are BBC One and BBC Two. The BBC first began a television service, initially serving London only, in 1936. BBC Television was closed during World War II but reopened in 1946. The second station, BBC Two, was launched in 1964. As well as these two analogue services, the British Broadcasting Corporation now also offers digital services BBC Three, BBC Four, BBC News 24, BBC Parliament, CBBC Channel, CBeebies, BBCi and has trialled BBC HD.

ITV(England & Wales), STV (Scotland) and UTV (Northern Ireland)

ITV (Independent Television) was the name given to the original commercial British television broadcasters, set up on a regional basis in 1955 to provide competition to the BBC. Almost all of these companies have now merged into a single business. Unlike the BBC, ITV funds itself by showing television commercials. Despite the proliferation of channels, ITV is still the UK's biggest commercial broadcaster in the country. Its flagship analogue channel is ITV1, though it also now runs digital-only television channels ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, ITV Play, CITV and Men & Motors.

Channel 4 (originally only England, Scotland and Northern Ireland - and border regions of Wales) and S4C (originally only Wales)

These channels were launched in 1982, and although state owned, Channel 4 is funded by its commercial activities (including advertising). The situation is more complex with S4C, as the BBC produces some programming, and the channel also has Welsh language obligations. Channel 4 has expanded into digital television, now offering E4, More 4 and Film4 on all digital platforms. S4C has also expanded, offering S4C2 in Wales. S4C has announced that once the Wales digital switch over is completed it will become a Welsh language only channel and not broadcast anything in English. This is due to the fact that Channel 4 will be available to the whole of Wales for the first time and not only to those households lucky enough to live within the range of an English transmitter.

Five

Five (previously known as Channel 5) was the final analogue broadcaster to be launched, in 1997. Its coverage is less than that of the other analogue broadcasters. RTL Group, Europe's largest television broadcaster, took full control of the channel in August 2005. Five launched two new channels, Five US and Five Life in October 2006.

All of these channels are also carried on satellite television, cable television and digital terrestrial television services. The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ... Public broadcasting is a form of public service broadcasting (PSB) intended to serve the diverse needs of the listening public. ... A television licence (or more correctly broadcast receiver licence, as it usually also pays for public radio) is an official licence required in many countries for all owners of television (and sometimes also radio) receivers. ... BBC One is the primary television channel of the BBC, and the first in the United Kingdom. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... BBC Three, the successor to the similar BBC Choice, is a British television channel from the BBC broadcasting only on digital cable, terrestrial and satellite. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... BBC News 24 is the BBCs 24 hour rolling news television channel in the United Kingdom. ... The BBC Parliament ident. ... The CBBC Channel is a British television service aimed at 6 to 13 year olds produced by the BBC. It complements the CBBC programming that continues to air on BBC One and BBC Two. ... CBeebies is a British television channel produced by the BBC and aimed at children under 6. ... BBCi is the brand name for the BBCs interactive television services. ... BBC HD is the high-definition television channel launched by the BBC on a trial basis from May 15, 2006, with the first HD originated programme, Planet Earth, shown on May 27. ... Independent Television (generally known as ITV but also as ITV Network or Channel 3) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority (ITA) to provide competition to the BBC. ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK. Since 1990... STV is the brand used by both ITV licensees in Northern and Central Scotland, formerly known as Grampian TV (now legally STV North Ltd. ... UTV (Ulster Television) is the ITV franchise for Northern Ireland. ... Year 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar). ... From the earliest days of the medium, television has been used as a vehicle for advertising in some countries. ... ITV1 is the name, in England, Wales and the Scottish borders, for a terrestrial, free-to-air television channel, broadcast in the United Kingdom by the ITV network. ... ITV2 is a free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV plc. ... ITV3 is an entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV plc. ... ITV4 is a UK television station which launched on November 1, 2005. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Men & Motors is a mens lifestyle television channel in the UK. It is the last remaining station operated by Granada Sky Broadcasting, a joint venture set up by Granada Television (now part of ITV plc) and British Sky Broadcasting in 1996. ... Channel 4 is a public-service British television station, broadcast to all areas of the United Kingdom (and also the Republic of Ireland), which began transmissions in 1982. ... S4C (Sianel Pedwar Cymru, which is Welsh for Channel Four Wales) is a television channel in Wales. ... This article is about the country. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Channel 4 is a public-service British television station, broadcast to all areas of the United Kingdom (and also the Republic of Ireland), which began transmissions in 1982. ... E4 is a British digital television channel launched as a pay-tv companion to Channel 4 on 18 January 2001. ... More4 is a digital television channel produced by United Kingdom broadcaster Channel 4. ... Film4 is a free British digital television channel, owned and operated by Channel 4, which screens high-quality films. ... S4C (Sianel Pedwar Cymru - Channel Four Wales) is a Welsh-language television channel broadcasting in Wales, United Kingdom, which was established in response to demands for a channel to cater for the Welsh-speaking minority population in Wales. ... Five, launched in 1997, is the fifth and final national terrestrial analogue television channel to launch in the United Kingdom. ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ... RTL Group is Europes largest TV, radio and production company, and is majority-owned by German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Five US is a free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by Five, launched on October 16, 2006 [2] and available on digital television. ... Five Life is a free-to-air television channel in the United Kingdom owned by Five. ... Artists impression of a Boeing 601 satellite, as configured for digital television transmission by SES Astra Satellite television is television delivered by way of communications satellites, as compared to conventional terrestrial television and cable television. ... Coaxial cable is often used to transmit cable television into the house. ... Digital Terrestrial Television (DTTV or DTT) is an implementation of digital technology to provide a greater number of channels and/or better quality of picture and sound using aerial broadcasts to a conventional antenna (or aerial) instead of a satellite dish or cable connection. ...

Digital Networks

BSkyB

BSkyB (British Sky Broadcasting) operates a satellite television service and numerous television channels e.g. Sky One, Sky Two, Sky Three, Sky Movies, Sky Sports. It is owned by News Corporation.

Virgin Media Television

Owned by the cable provider Virgin Media and operates several channels, e.g., Living, Bravo, Trouble. It also owns 50% of the UKTV company (The other 50% is owned by the BBC).

These six broadcasters dominate British television. The terrestrial networks all operate numerous digital channels and the bulk of viewing is on channels provided by these broadcasters. The most watched digital channels are owned by these networks also. There are other broadcasters who have secured a notable place on British television including Discovery Channel, Viacom International and EMAP, which all provide multiple channels. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ... Sky Two (launched and branded as Sky One Mix until September 21, 2004, and subsequently known as Sky Mix until October 31, 2005) is a United Kingdom satellite television channel run by British Sky Broadcasting. ... Sky Three is a television station from BSkyB broadcasting to the the UK, designed to accompany their existing Sky One and Sky Two subscription channels. ... Sky Movies is the collective name for the British premium subscription television movie channels operated by Sky Television, later British Sky Broadcasting. ... Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of 9 channels. ... 1211 Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue), where News Corporation is based News Corporation (abbreviated to News Corp) (NYSE: NWS, NYSE: NWSa, ASX: NWS, LSE: NCRA) is one of the worlds largest media conglomerates. ... Virgin Media Television (formerly known as Flextech) is a British television company and is entirely owned by the British cable company Virgin Media (previously known as NTL and Telewest) and acts as its television programme production arm. ... Virgin Media Inc. ... Living is a British television channel owned by Virgin Media Television. ... Bravo is a British television channel, owned by Flextech. ... Trouble is a television station in the UK and Republic of Ireland, owned by Virgin Media Television. ... UKTV UKTV is a joint venture between the BBCs commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, and Virgin Media owned Virgin Media Television, formally Flextech Television. ... Discovery Channel is a cable and satellite TV channel distributed by Discovery Communications that provides non-fiction variety programming focused primarily on the themes of popular science, history, and knowledge about the world, which is showcases uasually as documentaries. ... This page is about the post-2005 Viacom. ... EMAP plc (LSE: EMA) is a British media company, specialising in the production of magazines, and the organization of business events and conferences. ...

No further analogue broadcasters are expected to be launched, and efforts are being made to popularise the uptake of digital television so that analogue television broadcasts can be discontinued and the bandwidth allocated can be reused. The analogue service is to be switched off over a 5 year plan starting in 2008 and finishing in 2012. 2008 will see ITV Border, ITV Westcountry and ITV Wales analogue service switched off. 2009: ITV Granada, ITV West, and STV. 2010: ITV Central, ITV Yorkshire and ITV Anglia, 2011: ITV Meridian, ITV London, ITV Tyne Tees and UTV, and finally 2012: ITV Channel Television. Border Television (now legally known as ITV Border Ltd) is the ITV franchisee for the border region between England and Scotland (including the south of Scotland, much of Cumbria and, until December 2006, the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed), and also the Crown Dependency of the Isle of Man, owned... Westcountry Television is the ITV franchise holder in the South West of England, replacing its predecessor, TSW (Television South West), on 1 January 1993. ... HTV (originally Harlech Television, later HTV Limited and HTV Group plc and now ITV Wales and West Limited) is the ITV contractor for Wales and the West of England, owned by ITV plc. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... HTV (originally Harlech Television, later HTV Limited and HTV Group plc and now ITV Wales and West Limited) is the ITV contractor for Wales and the West of England, owned by ITV plc. ... STV is the brand used by both ITV licensees in Northern and Central Scotland, formerly known as Grampian TV (now legally STV North Ltd. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Meridian Broadcasting (ITV Meridian) is the holder of the ITV franchise for South and South East England. ... ITV London is the brand name and on-screen identity used by ITV plc for the ITV1 television channel in the London region. ... Tyne Tees Television is the ITV television contractor for North East England. ... UTV (Ulster Television) is the ITV franchise for Northern Ireland. ... The current Channel TV ident Channel Television (CTV) is a British television station which has served as an Independent Television (ITV), contractor to the Channel Islands since 1962. ...

With the passage of UK’s Communications Act 2003, there are no longer any foreign-ownership restrictions in the UK’s television programming services, cable and Direct-to-Home satellite television sectors. To counterbalance the removal of foreign-ownership restrictions for companies in the broadcasting sector, the UK government has increased the power of the regulatory body, which is called Ofcom.

Digital terrestrial television

Main article: Digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom

Digital terrestrial television was originally launched as a subscription-based service by a company called ONdigital, later ITV Digital, which failed commercially. The digital television service was relaunched as Freeview, a free-to-air service which is run and promoted by a consortium which includes the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, BSkyB and National Grid Wireless. The Freeview package includes all of the terrestrial channels mentioned above, some extra BBC channels, and a selection of the specialist channels found on the three subscription services, but not any of the premium ones such as top sport and movie channels. A more limited package of subscription channels has since been added under the name Top Up TV. Digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom is made up of over fifty primarily free-to-air television channels (including all the national analogue stations) and over twenty radio channels from Freeview, Top Up TV and Setanta Sports. ... ITV Digital used to be the sole British terrestrial digital television broadcaster. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Freeview is the operator of free digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom, using the DVB-T standard. ... National Grid Wireless (formerly Crown Castle UK) is a company which provides telecommunications infrastructure and broadcast transmission facilities in the UK. Its main customers are broadcasters and mobile phone network operators, and its main asset is a network of over 1,000 radio masts and towers. ... Top Up TV is a British television company registered on the island of Jersey, that offers subscription television services via digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom. ...

Cable and satellite

Two major competitors to the old free-to-air analogue broadcasters are the subscription-based services of cable companies such as Virgin Media, and the satellite broadcaster BSkyB, whose Sky Digital system is available nationwide, as well as in Ireland. Virgin Media Inc. ... British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB - formerly two companies, Sky Television and British Satellite Broadcasting, which merged) is a company that operates the most popular subscription television service in the Ireland. ... Sky Digital is the brand name for British Sky Broadcastings digital satellite television service, transmitted from SES Astra satellites located at 28. ...

In 2005, NTL announced the purchase of Telewest, establishing a single dominant company offering telephone, digital television, and high-speed broadband in the UK. The merger is widely rumoured to be intended to create an effective competitor to BSkyB. Sky have now reacted to this move, with the purchase of Easynet, in a bid to match VM's "triple-play" offering.

Freesat from Sky, a satellite-based free-to-air service similar to Freeview, is available from BSkyB for an initial installation charge of £150, and includes receiver, dish, viewing card, with access to all FTA and FTV¹ channels in the UK. BSkyB Logo Freesat from Sky is a British non subscription based satellite service from BSkyB which gives viewers access to 150 channels. ...

Alternatively, existing Sky customers can end their ongoing subscriptions, and opt for the Free-To-View viewing card, which is inserted into the Sky Viewing Card slot; effectively giving them the FreeSat from Sky service.

Freesat from Sky is not to be confused with the proposed Freesat service from the BBC and ITV, which is yet to be launched. BSkyB Logo Freesat from Sky is a British non subscription based satellite service from BSkyB which gives viewers access to 150 channels. ... Freesat is a BBC-owned trademark for free to air digital satellite television services targeting the UK. It is used as a tradename by two, differing systems, one of which is not purely free-to-air. ...

1 - UK mainland address required.

See also

• List of British television channels
• List of UK television series
• Ofcom
• BACC
• BARB
• Digital switchover in the United Kingdom

This is a list of TV services available on digital terrestrial, satellite, internet streaming and cable systems. ... This List of UK television series is a list of TV series that were made and shown in the United Kingdom. ... Ofcom is a regulator for communication industries in the United Kingdom. ... The Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre (BACC) is a quango which pre-approves most British television advertising. ... The word barb can have many meanings: Look up barb in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Digital Tick Digital switchover is the name given to the process by which analogue broadcast television in an area is converted to digital television. ...

External links

• BARB audience share figures for major UK broadcasters
• Ofcom website, the UK regulatory body
• Digital Spy