RTV Theory and Practice - Special Issue

in the interests of increased commercial viabilit/ and the retention of sufficient controls as to make sure that the content of broadcasting remains acceptable , The 'Green Рарег' of 1987 itlustrated this very clearly . On the one hand , the pressure to lift restrictions led to the suggestion of splitting the responsibility for radio away from the IBA to either a new Radio Authority or to the existing market-oriented Cable Authority . The aim would be to overcome the fact that: 'There would be some awkwardness in combining the IBA's responsibilities as a broadcasting authority for television within a public service framework with a separate role as a regulatory authority for radio under different and lighter rules' (HM Government, 1907:31) The кеу opposition here is between 'public service' on the one hand and the 'đifferent anđ lighter' rules govermng the new radio stations. In particular, the obligations which went with the public service ideas should be lifted : 'new services need not take the form of public service broađcasting in the positive sense of bemg reguired by law to provide a wide and diverse range of education , information anđ entertainment' (HM Government, 1987:21). The injunctions to provide certain sorts of programming, particularly voice programmmg, would be lifted and the stations would decide their own policies on the grounds of market criteria. In practice, this means freeing the stations to broadcast either whatever gets the largest audience at the smallest cost or whatever gets a smaller but particu)arly prized audience segment for which advertisers are prepared to рау heavily . What it most certainly did not mean was that the stations operating under this 'light touch' woulđ be free to broadcast anythmg they wisheđ . Not only were certain categories like poiitical parties and trade unions prohibited from ownmg stations but the Green Paper had five basic rules that апуопе working in the new system would be obliged to obey ; i) 'То ensure that апу news given in whatever form in programs is presented with ассигасу and impartiality . ii) 'То exclude from the programs all expressions of the views and opmions of the persons providing the service on religious matters or on matters which are of industrial or political controversy or relate to current public policy . iii) 'To avoid allowing the views anđ opmions of particular persons or bodies on such matters to predommate .'

154