British television broadcasting started in 1936, and now has a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are up to 600 channels for consumers as well as on-demand content. There are six main channel owners who are responsible for most viewing. There are 27,000 hours of domestic content produced a year at a cost of £2.6bn. Analogue terrestrial transmissions are currently being switched off and this is due to complete in 2012.

Television providers

Free and subscription providers are available, with differences in the number of channels, capabilities such as the programme guide (EPG), video on demand (VOD), high-definition (HD), interactive television via the red button, and coverage across the UK. Set-top boxes are generally used to receive these services; however Integrated Digital Televisions (IDTVs) can also be used to receive Freeview or Freesat. Top Up TV and BT Vision utilise hybrid boxes which receive Freeview as well as additional subscription services. Households viewing TV from the internet (YouTube, Joost, downloads etc) are not tracked by Ofcom. The UK's five most watched channels, BBC One, BBC Two, ITV, Channel 4 and Five, are available from all providers (although in some localities Five is not receivable on analogue terrestrial television).

† Figure in table is from Ofcom survey; based on sales figures (figure 17 in Ofcom report), homes where DTT is the only digital platform totals 9,600,000. Total number of homes using DTT equipment is 16.1 million

‡ Figure in table is from Ofcom survey; Sky Q1 2008 results report 8,340,000 subscribers (figure 12 in Ofcom report)

§ Figure in table is from Ofcom survey; Virgin Q1 2008 results report 203,500 analogue subscribers (figure 14 in Ofcom report)

‖ Figure in table is from Virgin Q1 2008 results (figure 14 in Ofcom report)

¶ Smallworld and Wightcable have -211,400 subscribers combined according to Ofcom figures (digital cable homes (fig, 2) - digital Virgin subscribers (fig. 14))

2007, Q4, UK's 60 million TV sets (not homes, Ofcom figures^[1])

Analogue terrestrial television

Main article: Analogue terrestrial television in the United Kingdom

This was the traditional way of receiving television in the UK, however it has now largely been supplanted by digital providers. There are 5 channels with regional variations, plus a limited number of local channels. Analogue terrestrial transmissions are currently being switched off in phases as part of the Digital Switchover. The last region is due to be switched off in the second half of 2012. See Digital switchover dates in the United Kingdom for more information.

As of January 2008, BBC One, BBC Two, ITV and Channel 4 broadcast from a network of 1,148 transmitters. Five broadcasts from 53 transmitters, and the Restricted Service Licence stations broadcast from 14 transmitters.^[11] See Category:Transmitter sites in the United Kingdom for information on some of these.

Digital terrestrial television

Main article: Digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom

Digital terrestrial television launched in 1998 as a subscription service named ONdigital. Since October 2002, the primary broadcaster is Freeview, with Top Up TV and Setanta Sports providing additional subscription services.

As of January 2008, DTT is broadcast from a network of 86 transmitters.^[12]

Cable television

Main article: Cable television

After a long series of mergers and rebrands, Virgin Media, WightCable and Smallworld Media are the UK's three providers of cable TV. Historically, the cable companies offered the 'triple-play' of telephone, subscription TV and broadband, although this has now been matched by non-cable competitors such as Sky and BT Vision. Video on demand is available on this platform, however only Virgin offer it at present. With Sky, Virgin is one of the UK's two providers of high-definition programmes; Virgin offer 1 HD broadcast channel and a collection of on demand programmes in high-definition.

Satellite television

Main article: Satellite television

Sky is the dominant satellite broadcaster with the largest number of channels compared to other providers. Unlike cable and IPTV, Sky cannot offer video on demand with their existing broadcast infrastructure.

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 free-to-air and free-to-view channels in the UK. 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 launched on 6 May 2008, a service created jointly by the BBC and ITV. Like Freeview, it is subscription-free. In contrast to Freesat from Sky, it does not need a viewing card. It is the UK's first provider of high definition television without a subscription, although only one channel was available at launch.^[13]

freesat, Freesat from Sky and Sky transmit from SES Astra satellites at a longitude of 28.2° East (Astra 2A/2B/2C/2D) and Eutelsat's Eurobird 1 satellite at 28.5° East. As the satellites are in geostationary orbit, they are positioned above the earth's equator(0° N 28.2° E) approximately 35,786 km above mean sea level; this places them above the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

IP television (IPTV)

See also: IPTV

In contrast to Internet TV, IPTV refers to services operated and controlled by a single company, who may also control the 'Final Mile' to the consumers' premises. BT Vision, Freewire and Tiscali TV are the UK's three providers of IPTV services.

BT Vision and Tiscali TV offer a range of broadcast channels as well as additional on demand content.

Freewire offers free and subscription channels to students at 40 universities. It is received on PCs and distributed via the academic computer network, JANET.^[14][4][15]

Mobile television

See also: Mobile TV

Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone provide mobile television services for reception on third generation mobile phones. They consist of a mixture of regular channels (marketed as 'live TV') as well as made for mobile channels with looped content.

Orange provide 9 packages of TV channels, starting from £5/month.^[16]

T-Mobile provide 4 packages of TV channels, marketed as T-Mobile TV or Sky Mobile TV. The cheapest package is £3.50/month.^[17]

Vodafone provides 5 packages of TV channels collectively marketed as Sky Mobile TV, with the cheapest package at £3/month.^[18]

Internet television

See also: Internet television

Television received via the Internet may be free, subscription or pay-per-view, multicast, unicast, or peer-to-peer, streamed or downloaded, and use a variety of distribution technologies. Playback is normally via a computer and broadband Internet connection, although digital media receivers or media center computers can be used for playback on televisions, such as the Netgear Digital Entertainer or a computer equipped with Windows Media Center.

Since 2006, UK channel owners and content producers have been creating Internet services to access their programmes.

Sky has offered Sky Anytime since January 2006, software for Windows which allows customers who subscribe to the Sky Movies and Sky Sports channels to download video onto their PC through a broadband internet connection. The content includes sport highlights, feature-length movies, sports news and entertainment shows.

Channel 4 has offered 4 on Demand since November 2006. The Internet version allows users to view programming recently shown on Channel 4, E4 or More4, or from their archives. The 'catch-up' service offers content free of charge for thirty days after its broadcast. Some content is available free of charge, whilst most other programmes and films, including archive programming, is charged for on a per-download basis.

ITV offers itv.com, a web site focussed on on-demand video, with genres being added since June 2007. It allows viewers gain access to simulcasts, previews and catch-ups of broadcast content within a 30-day window. Aside from major sporting events and other premium content, this programming is free.

The BBC has offered BBC iPlayer since July 2007. Originally software for Windows for download and playback of selected programmes aired in the last 7 days, a streaming version has since been launched. The BBC also simulcasts BBC News via bbc.co.uk, and offers news reports and other video items through its website and a channel on YouTube. As of February 2008, BBC Three is also streamed on the Internet.

Private "feeds" for British Expats

A few British Expats missing their favourite television programmes can also watch British television live by taking advantage of (private colocation) services using new placeshifting technology.

By leasing space to house privately owned equipment (a placeshifter and recorder), companies like thetelly.net, manage ex-pat's equipment in a commercial data centre.

Forthcoming providers

This article contains information about a future television station, channel or network. The content may change dramatically as the channel or network launch approaches and more information becomes available.

In December 2007, Telefónica O2 (branded O₂) announced the roll out of IPTV services in 2008.^[19]

Orange announced the desire for IPTV services to be launched in 2007. Orange has revealed one content partner, Disney, and some cartoon mascots for the service. As of November 2007, there are no other details.^[20]

In November 2007, the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 announced a joint on-demand Internet service to be launched in 2008.^[21] The working title is Project Kangaroo.^[22]

A proposed terrestrial service named Sky Picnic was confirmed October 2007 by BSkyB.^[23] To launch, BSkyB will withdraw three channels from Freeview (Sky Three, Sky News and Sky Sports News) to provide bandwidth for a collection of subscription channels. The proposed channels are Sky Sports 1, Sky Movies SD1, Sky One, and two further pay TV channels from 3rd parties.^[24] Ofcom has executed a public consultation which concluded 14th December 2007. A statement is due early 2008.^[25][26]

In May 2007, Smallworld Media stated their intention to roll out an IPTV solution across their unbundled network in early to mid 2008.^[27]

In February 2007, Virgin Media announced a hybrid IPTV and digital terrestrial service to target the half of the country unable to receive their cable TV services. In November, they stated it will be at least 2009 before launch.^[28][29]

Channels and channel owners

See also: List of British television channels and Category:Television channels in the United Kingdom

Most-viewed channels

The Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB) measures television ratings in the UK. In multi-channel homes, the channels with a viewing share of >= 1.0% according to BARB's measurements in January 2008 are:^[30]

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (January 2008)

BBC

Main article: BBC

See also: Category:BBC television channels in the United Kingdom

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, BBC Parliament, CBBC Channel, CBeebies, BBCi and BBC HD.

ITV

Main article: ITV

See also: Category:ITV franchisees and List of ITV channels

ITV (Independent Television) is the network of fifteen regional and three national commercial television franchises, originally founded in 1955 to provide competition to the BBC. ITV was the country's first commercial television provider funded by advertisements, and has been the most popular commercial channel through most of its existence. Through a series of mergers, takeovers and relaxation of regulation, eleven of these companies are now owned by ITV plc, two by SMG plc while UTV and Channel Television remain independent. ITV plc, the operator of all English, Welsh and Southern Scotland franchises, has branded the channel as ITV1 since 2001, with regional names being used prior to regional programmes only. SMG plc, which operates the two other Scottish franchises, has now unified the regions under the single name of STV. UTV, the Northern Ireland franchisee operated by UTV plc, uses its own name on air at all times, while the independent Channel Television uses the generic ITV1 stream and its own name prior to regional programmes. ITV has been officially known as Channel 3 since 1990. ITV plc also operates digital channels ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, Men & Motors and the CITV Channel. ITN currently holds the national news franchise, GMTV operates the breakfast franchise and Teletext Ltd operates the national teletext franchise.

Channel 4

Main article: Channel 4

Launched in 1982, Channel 4 is a state-owned national broadcaster which is funded by its commercial activities (including advertising). Channel 4 has expanded greatly after gaining greater independence from the IBA, especially in the multi-channel digital world launching E4, Film4, More 4 and various timeshift services. Since 2005, it has been a member of the Freeview consortium, and operates one of the six digital terrestrial multiplexes with ITV as Digital 3&4. Since the advent of digital television, Channel 4 is now also broadcast in Wales across all digital platforms. Channel 4 was the first British channel not to carry regional variations for programming, however it does have set advertising regions.

Five

Main article: Five (channel)

Five (previously known as Channel 5) was the final analogue broadcaster to be launched, in March 1997. Its analogue terrestrial coverage is less than that of the other analogue broadcasters, and broadcast in re-assigned frequencies, often at a lower power from major transmitters only. Many ex-VHF transmitters which were used for black and white transmissions prior to the switchover to UHF transmissions in the 1970s–80s are now used to broadcast Five, mainly due to capacity restraints on the masts. It was also the first terrestrial broadcaster to broadcast on satellite and carry a permanent digital on-screen graphic (DOG). The channel was re-named "five" in 2002, which saw an overhaul of the channel's identity and removal of the infamous DOG. 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. Five also owns 20% of the digital terrestrial pay-TV provider, Top Up TV. Like Channel 4, Five does not have programming regional variations, however it does so for advertising.

British Sky Broadcasting

Main article: British Sky Broadcasting

See also: Category:BSkyB television channels

British Sky Broadcasting operates a satellite television service and numerous television channels including Sky One, Sky Two, Sky Three, Sky Movies and Sky Sports.

UKTV

Main article: UKTV

See also: Category:UKTV channels

UKTV is a joint venture between the BBC's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, and Virgin Media Television. Both companies additionally wholly-own a number of other channels, broadcast domestically or internationally.

Channels under the joint venture are Dave, UKTV Documentary, UKTV Drama, UKTV Food, UKTV Gardens, UKTV Gold, UKTV History, UKTV People, UKTV Style, plus a number of timeshift services.

Other channel owners

The most watched digital channels are owned by the six broadcasters above. Other broadcasters who have secured a notable place on British television include Viacom, Discovery Networks and Disney.^{citation needed}

Programming

British television differs from other countries, such as the United States, in as much that programmes produced in Britain do not generally have a long 'season' run of around 20 weeks. Instead, they are produced in a series, a set of episodes varying in length, usually aired over a period of a few months. See List of British television series.

100 Greatest British Television Programmes

Main article: 100 Greatest British Television Programmes

100 Greatest British Television Programmes was a list compiled in 2000 by the British Film Institute (BFI), chosen by a poll of industry professionals, to determine what were the greatest British television programmes of any genre ever to have been screened. Although not including any programmes made in 2000 or later, the list is useful as an indication of what were generally regarded as the most successful British programmes of the 20th century. The top 10 programmes are:

1. Fawlty Towers BBC2 1975-1979
2. Cathy Come Home (The Wednesday Play) BBC1 1966
3. Doctor Who BBC1 1963-1989, 1996, 2005-
4. The Naked Civil Servant ITV 1975
5. Monty Python's Flying Circus BBC2 1969-1974
6. Blue Peter BBC1 1958-
7. Boys from the Blackstuff BBC2 1982
8. Parkinson BBC1/ITV 1971-1982, 1998-2007
9. Yes Minister / Yes, Prime Minister BBC2 1980-1988
10. Brideshead Revisited ITV 1981

List of most-watched television broadcasts

Main article: List of most-watched television broadcasts

In 2005, the British Film Institute compiled a list of programmes with the biggest audience since 1955. The top 10 are:

Genre lists

100 Greatest Kids' TV shows

Main article: 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows

The 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows was a poll conducted by the British television channel Channel 4 in 2001. The top 5 UK-produced programmes are:

1. The Muppet Show 1976-1981
2. DangerMouse 1981-1992
3. Bagpuss 1974
4. Grange Hill 1978-2008
5. Mr Benn 1971-1972

Britain's Best Sitcom

Main article: Britain's Best Sitcom

Britain's Best Sitcom was a poll conducted in 2004 by the BBC to identify the United Kingdom's best situation comedy. The top 5 programmes were:

1. Only Fools and Horses 1981-2003 — 342,426 votes
2. Blackadder 1983-1989, 2000 — 282,106 votes
3. The Vicar of Dibley 1994-2007 — 212,927 votes
4. Dad's Army 1968-1977 — 174,138 votes
5. Fawlty Towers 1975, 1979 — 172,066 votes

British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series

Main article: British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series

The British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series is one of the major categories of the British Academy Television Awards. The last 5 winners are:

• 2007: The Street - Granada Productions / BBC One
• 2006: Doctor Who - BBC Wales / BBC One
• 2005: Shameless - Company Pictures / Channel 4
• 2004: Buried - World Productions / Channel 4
• 2003: Spooks - Kudos Film & Television / BBC One

Soap operas

Main article: The British Soap Awards

Award totals for soap operas as awarded by the British Soap Awards:

1. EastEnders - 51
2. Coronation Street - 47
3. Emmerdale - 17
4. Hollyoaks - 9
5. Brookside - 7
6. Doctors - 4
7. Family Affairs - 2
8. Night and Day - 1

Analogue terrestrial programming

Weekday

Weekday programming on terrestrial channels begins with breakfast national news programmes (along with regional news updates) on BBC One and GMTV, with children's programming on BBC Two and Five. Channel 4 and S4C predominately broadcasts teen-orientated programmes in its morning slot, T4, including soaps, music and comedy programming. The weekday breakfast news programme ends at 9:15 am on BBC One and 9:25 am on GMTV.

Following this on BBC One, lifestyle programming is generally shown, including property, auction and home/garden makeover. BBC One continues this genre until after the lunchtime news, whereby afternoon has a soap called Doctors followed by US dramas with the word "Murder" in the title currently occupy the schedule. ITV on the other hand takes over from GMTV at 9:25 am, and generally broadcasts more human-interest chat-style shows, including The Jeremy Kyle Show, This Morning and Loose Women, in the morning to mid-afternoon slots, with the ITV Lunchtime News (including a regional bulletin) at 1:30 pm. Channel 4 continues its T4 slot, often with home-project and archeology lifestyle programming in the early afternoon after the News at Noon. Five broadcasts chatshow programmes in the morning including The Wright Stuff and Trisha Goddard with regular news bulletins. In the afternoon it shows a drama followed by an hour of Australian soaps such as Home and Away and Neighbours and a film.

At around 3:05 pm, BBC One switches to its CBBC children's output, before the game show The Weakest Link at 5:15 pm. BBC Two often carries lifestyle programming such as Animal Park and often many sporting events. ITV shows a lifestyle programme followed by a chat show called The Alan Titchmarsh Show and a daily soap opera called The Royal Today before repeats of classic ITV shows, such as Heartbeat, Poirot and Midsomer Murders in late-afternoon, before a gameshow-style programme at 5:00 pm, which have included Golden Balls and The Price Is Right.

News bulletins are broadcast between 6pm and 7pm on both BBC One and ITV, with BBC One beginning with the national 6 O'Clock news and ITV with the flagship regional news programme. At around 6.30, BBC One broadcasts the regional news programmes whilst ITV broadcasts the national news. Both Channel 4 and Five have news programmes at around 7pm.

Primetime programming is usually dominated by further soaps—including Eastenders on BBC One, Coronation Street and Emmerdale on ITV, and Hollyoaks on Channel4. These soap operas or 'continuing dramas' as they are now called can vary throughout the year, however weekly dramas, such as Holby City, are also fixed to scheduling. Because of this, the UK can often rely more heavily on TV guides, be it with the newspaper, online on as available on information services on the television: Ceefax/Teletext/BBCi as well as built in Electronic Programme Guides.

Weekend

Weekend programming traditionally contains further children's, lifestyle programming, as well as sporting events and the occasional afternoon film. There are further battles for viewers in the weekend primetime slot, often featuring reality or talent game shows in the evening. Morning and late evening news programmes still continue on BBC One and ITV, yet even these can be shifted about due to delays in sporting events.

After midnight, when late evening films are shown, many channels cease broadcasting "normal" programming or simulcast with another channel. Before 2000, the channels simply closed down, displaying news in the form of Ceefax or a test card. However, recently programming has been shown continuously. BBC channels will join BBC News in a multichannel simulcast. Since 2005, ITV has broadcast the ITV Play strand of phone-in participation TV programmes. Depending on the time of year, Channel 4 may show live feeds of Big Brother (in the summer) and its spin-off, Celebrity Big Brother (in January). On weeknights, Five generally shows various sports from around the world, including boxing and football from European leagues, with phone-in participation-TV Quiz Call on weekends.

Awards

Main articles: British Academy Television Awards and National Television Awards

The British Academy Television Awards (BAFTAs) are the most prestigious awards given in the British television industry, analogous to the Emmy Awards in the United States. They have been awarded annually since 1954, and are only open to British programmes. After all the entries have been received, they are voted for online by all eligible members of the Academy. The winner is chosen from the four nominees by a special jury of nine academy members for each award, the members of each jury selected by the Academy's Television Committee.

The National Television Awards is a British television awards ceremony, sponsored by ITV and initiated in 1995. Although not widely held to be as prestigious as the BAFTAs, the National Television Awards are probably the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted on by the general public. Unlike the BAFTAs, the National Television Awards allow foreign programmes to be nominated, providing they have been screened on a British channel during the eligible time period.

Regulation

Main article: Ofcom

Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the communication industries in the United Kingdom, including television. As the regulatory body for media broadcasts, part of Ofcom's duties are to examine specific complaints by viewers/listeners about programmes. Ofcom is also responsible for the management, regulation, assignment and licensing of the electromagnetic spectrum in the UK, and licenses portions of it for use in TV broadcasts.

Licensing

Main article: Television licensing in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom and the Crown dependencies, a television licence is required to receive any publicly broadcast television service, from any source. This includes the commercial channels, cable and satellite transmissions. The money from the licence fee is used to provide radio, television and Internet content for the British Broadcasting Corporation, and Welsh-language television programmes for S4C. The BBC^[33] gives the following figures for expenditure of licence fee income:

• 50% - BBC One and BBC Two
• 15% - local TV and radio
• 12% - network radio
• 10% - digital (BBC Three, BBC Four, BBC News 24, BBC Parliament, CBBC, CBeebies)
• 10% - transmission costs and licence fee collection
• 3% - BBC Online, Ceefax, and Interactive Content (including bbc.co.uk and BBCi)

Recent technical developments

Digital television

Digital television has been available in the UK since 1998 via satellite, cable or terrestrial, and since 1999 via IPTV. It introduced interactive television, 16:9 widescreen, electronic programme guides and audio description.

Ofcom is tracking digital television penetration as part of the digital switchover, and releases quarterly reports. The report for Q1 2008 states:^[1]

• 87.1% (22.2 million of 25.5 million televisions) of main TV sets now receive digital television
• 53% (18.1 million of 34.5 million televisions) of secondary TV sets now receive digital television
• 67.5% (40.5 million of 60 million televisions) of all TV sets now receive multichannel TV; the remainder receive analogue terrestrial television. Multichannel refers to cable (analogue and digital), satellite, digital terrestrial or IPTV.

Ofcom does not consider households which use Internet television as their primary source, whether connected to a TV set or not, nor television from the mobile TV providers or Freewire.

Video on demand

Video on demand (VOD) offers the viewer a choice of programmes in an on-screen programme guide. When the viewer selects a programme to watch, it starts playing immediately. The programmes may be free, pay-per-view or subscription.

BT Vision, Tiscali and Virgin Media are the UK's three providers of video on demand delivered via IPTV or cable. They offer a combination of catch-up and archive content from programme makers and channel owners. Virgin is the UK's largest provider of on-demand content, with over 3,000,000 subscribers. Video on demand in the UK is also seeing overseas programme makers such as HBO launching VOD services.^[34] Virgin also offers high-definition VOD.

Sky and Top Up TV market Sky Anytime and Top Up Anytime. Sky's is available to subscribers of Sky+ or Sky HD with a particular model of set-top-box. Both are 'push VOD' services which offer access to pre-selected programmes which are played back from the set-top-boxes hard disk drive.

Internet television also provides access to VOD, e.g. YouTube and other streamed video websites.

High-definition television

Close-up view
HDTV resolution	SDTV resolution

Main article: High-definition television in the United Kingdom

High-definition television (HDTV) has four to five times as much picture information compared to