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第48篇
With the start of BBC World Service Television, millions of viewers in Asia and America can now watch the Corporation’s news coverage, as well as listen to it.
And of course in Britain listeners and viewers can tune into two BBC television channels, five BBC national radio services and dozens of local radio stations. They are brought sport, comedy, music, news and current affairs, education, religion, parliamentary coverage, children’s programs and films for an annual license fee of 83 per household.
It is a remarkable record, stretching back over 70 years—yet the BBC’s future is now in doubt. The Corporation will survive as a publicly-funded broadcasting organization, at least for the time being, but its role, its size and its programs are now the subject of a nationwide debate in Britain.
The debate was launched by the government, which invited anyone with an opinion of the BBC—including ordinary listeners and viewers—to say what was good or bad about the Corporation, and even whether they thought if it was worth keeping. The reason for its inquiry is that the BBC’s royal charters runs out in 1996 and it must decide whether to keep the organization as it is or to make changes.
Defenders of the Corporation—of whom there are many—are fond of quoting the American slogan “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The BBC “ain’t broke”, they say, by which they mean it is not broken (as distinct from the word “broke”, meaning having no money), or why bother to change it?
Yet the BBC will have to change, because the broadcasting world around it is changing. The commercial TV channels—ITV and Channel 4—were required by the Thatcher Government’s Broadcasting Act to become more commercial, competing with each other for advertisers, and cutting costs and jobs. But it is the arrival of new satellite channels—funded partly by advertising and partly by viewers’ subscriptions—which will bring about the biggest change in the long term.
1.The world famous BBC now is confronted with ___.
A.the problem of news coverage
B.an uncertain prospect
C.inquiries by the general public
D.shrinkage of audience
2.In the passage, which of the following about the BBC is not mentioned as the key issue?
A.Extension of its TV service to Far East.
B.Programs as the subject of a nation-wide debate.
C.Potentials for further international co-operations.
D.Its existence as a broadcasting organization.
3.The BBC’s “royal charter” (Paragraph 4) represents ___.
A.the financial support from the royal family
B.the privileges granted by the Queen
C.a contract with the Queen
D.a unique relationship with the royal family
4.The word “broke” in “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” means ___.
A.broke down
B.bankrupt
C.fragmented
D.penniless
5.The first and foremost reason why the BBC has to read just itself is no other than ___.
A.the emergence of commercial TV channels
B.the enforcement of Broadcasting Act by the government
C.the urgent necessity to reduce cost—and—job expenses
D.the challenges of new satellite channels
