TV Drama

What is the PSB ?

Public service broadcasting (PSB) television. Public service broadcasting (PSB) has a long and proud tradition in the UK, delivering impartial and trusted news, UK-originated programmes and distinctive content. The public service broadcasters are those providing Channel 3 services, Channel 4, Channel 5, S4C and the BBC. Public broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. In much of the world, funding comes from the government, especially via annual fees charged on receivers



Why is the BBC a PSB?



The BBC can be considered a PSB because:

1. It is a free channel, which means everybody can have access
2. All its channels, i.e. BBC One  and BBC Four are originated programmes and have distinctive content
3. The BBC is a public company who is in public service.
4. Its funding comes from the government

What are the rules that govern the BBC?

Is inappropriate (abusive, offensive or disruptive)

Is off topic (to the original content or the current conversation)

Contains personal information (either your own or someone else’s)

Puts children at risk

Is illegal, or glamourises illegal activity

Is defamatory (damaging to someone else’s reputation)

Is in contempt of court (anything that could affect the outcome of a court case)

Infringes anyone’s rights (including privacy rights)

Was made by someone else, or that copies someone else’s creation

Is posted for your financial gain (advertising, sponsorship etc.)

Isn’t in English (unless we’ve asked you to comment in another language)

Contains spam (unless you’re commenting on a story about reconstituted meat)

Contains links to content that can’t be seen easily, or may be unsafe (viruses, spyware, pay walls etc.)

Breaks our election and referendum rules

Or doesn’t comply with the rest of our BBC Terms of Use.

How much is the licence?


A television licence is also required to receive video on demand programme services provided by the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), on the iPlayer catch-up service. Since April 2019, the annual cost is £154.50 ($195) for a colour licence and £52 ($65) for a black and white licence.


How does the BBC decide on content?


BBC television operates a genre based commissioning process. If the idea matches their current commissioning priorities they may ask for further development, and at the right stage will discuss it with the most relevant channel controller. Final decisions are made collaboratively between genres and channels.



What is the difference between the BBC and Channel 5?


Channel 5 is a general entertainment channel that shows both internally commissioned programmes such as Fifth Gear, Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother, The Gadget Show, The Hotel Inspector, Can't Pay? We'll Take It Away! and Gibraltar: Britain in the Sun and foreign programmes. The station has been very successful with imports from the United States in particular, including the CSI franchise, the NCIS franchise, the first three series in the Law & Order franchise, Power Rangers, The Mentalist, Body of Proof, Once Upon A Time, Dallas and Under the Dome.


The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters are at Broadcasting House in Westminster, London, and it is the world's oldest national broadcasting organisation and the largest broadcaster in the world by number of employees. It employs over 20,950 staff in total, 16,672 of whom are in public sector broadcasting. Around a quarter of BBC's revenue comes from its commercial subsidiary BBC Studios (formerly BBC Worldwide), which sells BBC programmes and services internationally and also distributes the BBC's international 24-hour English-language news services BBC World News, and from BBC.com, provided by BBC Global News Ltd. In 2009, the company was awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise in recognition of its international achievements.