MASS MEDIA IN GREAT BRITAIN

The British Media consists of the press and radio and TV broadcasting. Now a couple of words about papers. First of all there is no subscription. You may buy any on sale. There are two main types of newspapers: the «popular» papers and the «quality» papers.

The popular papers or tabloids are less in size, with many pictures, big headlines and short articles. They are easy to read. They are such papers as «Daily Express», «Daily mail», «Daily Mirror», «Daily Star», «The Sun» and others. These papers concentrate more on violence, the Royal Family, film and pop stars and sport. This press is much more popular than the quality press.

The «quality» papers are for more serious readership. These papers are bigger in size, with larger articles and more detailed information. They concern with factual reports of major national and international events – politics, art and sport. The «quality» papers are — «The Times», «DailyTelegraph», «The Guardian», «Financial Times», «The Independent». The longest running British newspaper is The Times began in 1785. John Walter was a founder of The Times newspaper, London.

In addition to daily papers we have just mentioned above there are Sunday papers. They have a higher circulation than the dailies. Sunday papers in Great Britain are such «quality» papers as «Observer», «Sunday Times», «Sunday Telegraph» and such «popular» papers as: «News of the World», «Sunday Express», «Sunday Mirror», «Mail on Sunday». Reading a Sunday paper, like having a big Sunday lunch, is an important tradition in many British families.

As far as broadcasting and telecasting are concerned there are two radio and TV stations. The first one — well-known BBC — British Broadcasting Corporation, and the second — IBA — Independent Broadcasting Authorities. The BBC radio services began in 1922.

VOCABULARY

a broadsheet, quality newspaper – газета великого формату

a tabloid – бульварна газета

a local paper – місцева газета

broadcasting – мовлення 

subscription – підписка 

circulation – тираж 

daily newspaper – щоденна газета

Sunday newspaper – недільна газета

a quiz show – вікторина 

a review – огляд 

an entertainment program – розважальна програма

a documentary – документальна програма

an advertisement (advert, ad) – реклама 

a commercial – рекламний ролик

sport news – спортивні новини

reliable information – надійна інформація

international events – міжнародні новини

articles about natural disasters – статті про природні катастрофи