h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I mean the only British network I have heard of is the BBC and I've heard that for a while British Tv was nothing but several different versions of the BBC. Is that true?

I believe there're two national BBC channels. There's also ITN, Channels 4 & 5.

There is BBC World, which is similar to CNN, but goes out worldwide, as well as regional BBC stations.

As for whether the three non-channels are *different versions of BBC* I really can't tell you. I have heard of the 'dumbing down of the BBC', which might suggest that the Beeb is becoming more like the others.

Nice try Mustapha
But you don't think we would make it that simple.
When I started this I thought I could come up with a fairly short reply but its ended up longer than some articles and probably more confusing.

OK eyes down, look in, for the traditional Buggers Muddle that is anything British, Those outside the UK may wish to regard this as another example of our quaint British traditions.

1. Analogue terrestrial TV

In the beginning there was the BBC (British Broadcasting Corperation).
This is funded through a licence fee charged on each houshold that has a TV and doesn't carry adverts.
The BBC runs two networks BBC1 & BBC2.
The BBC networks despite being "national" also split into regional variations at times mainly for local news and sports coverage, with more significant variations in Scotland and Wales.
The BBC networks carry a mixture of programmes, some of which are commissioned by the BBC (a few of these are made "In House" but most are contracted out to production companies) or bought in from production companies or overseas networks.

In addition to this there is also the BBC world service which is a satellite TV service (BBC overseas services are mainly funded by the Government from taxes rather than through the licence fee)

Then there are the ITV networks
These are commercial franchises issued by the government and administered by the independent television commission.
they are funded by advertising.
This consists of three "networks"

ITV (channel 3)
which is formed of regional franchises,
Each of the regional companies maintains its own identity and makes / commissions some of its own programmes, some of the time the Companies show the same programme and behave as a national network, at others they go their own way.
this can be very annoying when working away from home and you turn on to watch part of a series only to find its not on that area.


Channel 4 / S4C (Wales)
A commercial network created in the 1980's which was initially funded in part by a levy on the existing ITV companies but is now a stand alone entity.

Channel 5
A national commercial franchise, The most recent addition to the ITV line up and probably the last new analogue channel with the coming of digital TV,

2. Satellite TV
Available as both analogue and digital services, The largest supplier on both being Rupert Murdoch's Sky network.
Carries a variety of channels, as elsewhere in the world, some good, some crap.
Some of the regional ITV companies also run additional services via satellite.
Some channels supported by advertising others require additional subscriptions, most subscriptions are administered by the Sky network.


3. Digital Terestrial
A mixture of advertising supported and subscription services
All the existing Terrestrial channels plus additional channels from both the BBC and the ITV companies, together with some of the channels also broadcast via satellite. Digital terrestrial has also evolved another British peculiarity a number of commercial channels which due to a deal with the BBC extended versions of some BBC programmes.


4. Cable
Operated as local franchises which also offer telephone services in some urban areas, on a subscription basis.
Cable TV started late in the UK and has been out performed by direct satellite services.
Carries all the main terrestrial channels plus a selection from the satellite and Digital Terrestrial operators together with a few cable only channels.

Glad you kept your reply short Bald Bloke!
And what it all boils down to is that there are lots of ways for us Britishers to be shown lots of repeats-american chat shows-more repeats-sport-more repeats-and "Classic TV programmes"=even more repeats.Oh and some news but carefully edited in case we get bored.
So why did you want to know anyway Siguy?

Amarylis

Well I did warn you at the start!!!

PS
I see from the h2g2 user thingy your new today so Welcome to the guide

(FOR SOME REASON I WAS CURIOUS, DON'T WORRY. I DON'T THINK I WILL EVER HAVE THAT PROBLEM AGAIN)
From everything you wrote it seems like everything is funded by the government. Here in the U.S. there are five different networks (two of which don't deserve to be called networks) and each is independant. Also cable is the most common source for TV and huge cable companies like viacom own and produce dozens and dozens of channels (in fact viacom bought cbs, one of the five networks).

Now I will naturally assume since your system is different over there and involves the government more that you are all evil totalitarian maniacs who must be destroyed. Kidding kidding, I am a bit confused by why the govt. is involved in all your channels though.

There are six terrestrial commercial broadcast networks (two of which are still much newer and struggling, actually seven with the seventh being very new if you want to count Pax) in the US, plus PBS (funded by corporate, foundation and government grants and viewer contributions, but it's hard to call it commercial-free now, they're just shorter and there are far fewer of them), which acts like a network much of the time. It hardly matters now, though, because cable market penetration is something like 70% of households. This means it's pretty much just as common to watch Discovery Channel or CNN (cable-only stations) as it is to watch CBS or NBC (two of the three original broadcast networks). There are also some purely independent stations still around, though with the newer WB, UPN and Pax, most belong to one of those these days. Some stations that used to be independents are now on many cable systems nationwide (TBS used to be a broadcast station in Atlanta, as I recall, but that might not be right. I was going to use WGN-Chicago as an example, but they're part of the WB network now.)

Thanks for the welcome Bald Guy. I am glad I joined. I now know far more about British and American TV than I ever did before.(or wanted or needed to! )

Sorry Siguy I've confused you.
"From everything you wrote it seems like everything is funded by the government."

In fact just the opposite

The government doesn't fund any of it, except the world service.
The commercial stations have to pay the government for their franchises.
while the BBC is funded by the licence fee (effectively a subscription service, but you can't opt out)

fine fine but ummm, hmmm, uhhh, hmmm, uhhh. LOOK OVER THERE AT THE INCREDIBLY DISTRACTING THING.

I see it! It's a three headed monkey! Have a banana.

OK and for those of us in the UK lucky enough to life in Northern Ireland we can get RTE (Radio Telefis Eiran) from the Repbulic if we have ggod enough reception. Which overs us RTE1, RTE2 and Channel 3. For those who don't have on-Digital the terrestial digital system. ie most of us and thus miss ITV2 for the Tuesday champion league matches. No worries as RTE show the main match (ie English where possible) on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Wait, you guy's out there have reception from god? (little joke because of type "ggod")

One thing I was thinking about the BBC vs ITV thing (BBC = payed for by us, but superior programming, ITV = payed for by advertising, but lame-ass programmes) was if the BBC charged half the current license fee, and put adverts between, but not during, programmes. That way, the fee would be lower and the adverts not too intrusive.

Oh, and it's just an opinion of mine about the BBC having higher quality programming. But come on - Randal And Hopkirk Deceased, compared with Blinduh duhDate? No contest.

Big Cheese

Wrong double charector a fatal flaw sometimes. Soory