Media, communications and leisure 1960-79 Flashcards
When did BBC not become the only broadcaster in Britain?
1955, when ITV started broadcasting as well.
What did the Television Act force ITV to do?
In 1964, it forced ITV to show more plays and current affairs, which led to the launch of BBC 2 in April 1964.
When did colour broadcasting begin?
1967
What percentage of TV’s had been set to colour by 1979?
70%
How long did people watch TV for in the late 1970’s per week?
- 16 hours in the summer.
- 20 hours in the winter.
(- this was twice as much as in Belgium, Italy or Sweden)
What were some things that happened as a result of the TV increase?
- It blurred some class distinctions.
- It helped spread new fashions more quickly.
How many people regularly tuned in to watch ‘coronation street’?
20 million - it was launched in December 1960
How many people watched ‘that was the week that was’ (TW3)?
12 million
Who was concerned about the influence of TW3?
Mary Whitehouse as she thought that those large audiences had the potential to influence popular attitudes.
What did Mary Whitehouse do?
She started a petition to ‘clean up TV’. She gained 500,000 signatures before sending it to the queen.
What impact did the television have on newspapers?
The total sales of newspapers went down from 17 million in 1951 to 14.6 million in 1970.
What newspaper in particular took certain measures to counter the fall of newspaper sells?
The Sun, which focused in particular on television stars, sex, scandal and humour. They overtook the Daily Mirror by 1979.
How many cinemas were there in 1960 compared to 1965?
1960 = 3,000 1965 = 1,960
What was the annual ticket sales for cinemas in 1964 compared to 1974?
1964 = 340 million 1974 = 140 million
What would cinemas be replaced with?
Pubs, nightclubs or bingo halls
How many TV licenses were sold in 1955 compared to 1979?
1955 = 344,000 1979 = 18 million
Why did radio’s become more popular throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s? (5 things)
- The rise in portable transistor radios in the 1960’s
- Important changes to BBC radio broadcasting in 1967
- The sale increase of car radios in the 1970’s
- The abolition of radio licenses in 1971
- The growth of local commercial radio after 1973
When did the BBC not become the only legal radio broadcaster anymore?
1973
Why was BBC reluctant to play rock & roll?
It promoted rowdy and violent behaviour
What the two most popular radio stations from 1964 and how many listeners did they have?
Radio London and Radio Caroline. By 1967, when the government tried to ban them, they had between 10-15 million listeners.
What was BBC’s response to the pirate radio stations?
In 1967, they introduced Radio 1 and Radio 2. Radio 2 being the station devoted to younger listeners.
By who was the record industry dominated?
Decca and EMI. They British stars if rock & roll, like Cliff Richard, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles.
What were the keys to success for Decca and EMI?
- Transistor radios (small, portable radios)
- Extended-play (EP) vinyl records (small, cheap LP’s but with only the top 4-6 sings of an album)
- The jukebox (could hold over 500 EP’s and by 1960 there were over 7,000 in milk bars, coffee bars and cafes)
What were the most famous films by the Beatles?
A Hard Day’s Night (1964) and Help! (1965)
Why did teenagers have a more distinct, visible identity in the 1960’s compared to the 1950’s?
- The post-war ‘baby boom’ meant there were over 1 million more teenagers in 1965 compared to 1951.
- A better, richer diet mean children went through puberty faster, at 13 rather than 16.
- The extension of school-leaving age from 15 to 16 meant more were spending time with their friends than doing apprenticeship.
- The growth of production-line technology meant more unskilled teenagers could earn more and spend that on entertainment or fashion.
What were some of the most popular ‘identities’ (gangs) in the 1960’s and 1970’s?
Mods, Rockers, Beatniks, Skinheads, Glam Rockers and Punks.
What were the views upon the different ‘identities’?
Young: just a sense of having fun and having an ‘identity’
Old: felt that British youth was out of control, in a way that never happened ‘in their day’.
Were the young being any more disrespectful, violent or drunk than they had been in previous generations?
No
How many marijuana-possession arrests in 1960 compared to 1973?
1960 = 235 1973 = 11,000
What was one of the most famous clashes between Mods and Rockers?
The battle of Brighton
What was the British Invasion?
In 1964, they lead the invasion of the US pop charts.
What lead to John Lennon humorously saying that they were more popular than Jesus?
By 1966, they had been awarded MBE’s for their service to British exports.
Who did the Beatles sign as their manager?
In late 1961, they signed businessman Brian Epstein.
Who did the Beatles sign as their producer?
In 1962, they signed to EMI records by producer George Martin.
What street was known as the ‘epicentre’ of swinging London?
From 1964 to 1967, Carnaby street was the place to be.
Who inspired and helped spread new fashions?
Mary Quant, David Bailey, Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy
What type of car did the beagle make famous?
The Mini
What became a symbol of ‘cool modernity’ and ‘cool Britannia’?
Cool modernity = Union Jack Flag
Cool Britannia = James Bond (movies like Thunderbolt-1965)
How many people did gardening in 1970?
In 1970, 29 million people did gardening, making it the 2nd most popular leisure activity (after TV)
When did England win the World Cup?
1966
Why did football popularity decrease in late 1960’s and early 1970’s?
Rise of hooliganism - more young fans went to away matches
What did the Wales rugby team show for Wales?
Patriotism as it was their great national pride.
Why did people feel that Britain was becoming more democratised?
- People from ordinary background could become famous and successful in creative industries
- Fashions obscured class boundaries
- More regional accents could be heard on radio and TV
- The hippy movement (‘free love’) represented a more liberal attitude to things (sex before marriage to homosexuality)
What are some arguments for and against revolution in attitudes of ‘swinging sixties’?
For: The 1960’s were a major watershed between Victorian values and rise of the modern ‘permissive society’.
Against: There was only ‘Swinging London’. It takes money to enjoy a fashionable lifestyle and poverty was still a major issue in Britain, so ‘Swinging sixties’ was not very typical in all of Britain, mostly only in London.
How many people watched TV as a pastime in 1970?
97%
How many people went to the pub as a pastime in 1970?
52%
How many sport centres were around in 1970 in England compared to 1979?
1970 = 27 1979 = 500+
How many weeks of paid holiday did the average worker have in 1960 compared to 1975?
1960 = 2 weeks 1975 = 3 weeks
How many foreign holidays were around in 1970 compared to 1973 and 1981?
1970 = 4 million 1973 = 9 million 1981 = 13 million
What were some things that became more common in the 1970’s that would have shocked people in the 1960’s?
- Wine consumption doubled in the 1960’s and again in the 1970’s
- Continental lager was on,y available in 3% of the beer market in 1960; by 1970, almost every pub offered things lagers like Skol and Carling Black Label
- Greek and Italian food was becoming more popular
- Britain joined the European Economic Community in 1973
