A. Radio in the uk
If you want to listen to the radio, you switch/turn on your radio set and tune in to a broadcasting station. You need an aerial (BE)/an antenna (AmE), a receiver, an amplifier and loudspeakers to receive good stereo quality on FM (frequency modulation - a system used for broadcasting radio programmes). You can listen to the news and the weather forecast, to pop songs or classical music, to radio plays or to live broadcasts of sporting events, depending on what your favourite programmes are.
There are around 600 licensed radio stations in the United Kingdom. The most prominent stations are the national networks operated by the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). They are:
BBC Radio 1, which broadcasts mostly current pop music output on FM and digital radio, with live music throughout the year.
BBC Radio 2, which is the United Kingdom's most listened-to radio station, featuring presenters such as Chris Evans and Terry Wogan, and playing popular music from the last 5 decades as well as special interest programmes in the evening.
BBC Radio 3, which is a classical music station, broadcasting high-quality concerts and performances. At night, it transmits a wide range of jazz and world music.
BBC Radio 4, which is a current affairs and speech station, with news, debate and radio drama. It broadcasts the daily radio soap The Archers, as well as flagship (= the best and most important) news programme ‘Today’.
BBC Radio 5, which is popular with its listeners for its live broadcasts, live news and sports commentary, with phone-in debates and studio guests
The BBC also provides 40 local radio services, mainly broadcasting a mix of local news and music aimed at an older audience.
B. Television in the uk
Television broadcasting started in the United Kingdom in 1936 as public service free of advertising. Now there is a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, among which there are over 480 channels for consumers as well as on-demand content (= on-demand television) where the viewer can watch programming at anytime, not just when it's aired by a network (which is called Linear TV, Linear Programming or Traditional Television).
There are six main channel owners who are responsible for most viewing. As of 24 October 2012, all television broadcasts in the United Kingdom are in a digital format. Digital content is delivered via terrestrial, satellite and cable channels as well as over IPTV (Internet Protocol television system).
The BBC is a British public service broadcasting corporation. Its main responsibility is to provide impartial public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. It is the largest broadcaster in the world by number of employees, with about 23,000 staff. The BBC is headquartered at Broadcasting House in London and has major production centres in Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, and London, and smaller production centres throughout the UK.
The BBC operates several television channels in the UK of which BBC One and BBC Two are the flagship television channels. In addition to these, the BBC operates several digital only stations: BBC Three, BBC Four, BBC News, BBC Parliament, and two children's channels. The most viewed channels are:
BBC One - a regionalised TV service which provides opt-outs throughout the day for local news and other local programming.
ITV (Independent Television) which consists of 15 regional television companies. The programmes it broadcasts are financed by commercial advertising.
BBC Two, which covers a wide range of subject matter, but tends towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio channels, it is funded by the television licence, and is, therefore, commercial-free. It is a comparatively well funded public service network, regularly attaining a much higher audience share than most current public service networks worldwide.
Channel 4, which broadcasts a wide range of high quality and diverse programming that appeals to the tastes and interests of a culturally diverse society.
Channel 5, which is a general entertainment channel, with internally commissioned shows such as ‘The Gadget Show’ and ‘Fifth Gear’ appearing alongside numerous international programmes such as ‘CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’, ‘Home and Away’, and ‘Neighbours’.
Satellite television in the UK is generally called ‘Sky’. It is a subscription service owned by British Sky Broadcasting. It is the dominant satellite provider with the largest number of channels compared to other providers. Sky TV also provides video on demand branded as 'On Demand'