Revision Topic Sheet 3: British Society

Question 1

How was the mass media expanded?

Answer 1

• Televisions became widely used
• Guidelines on nudity and swearing on TV were revised
• Launch of ITV in 1955 allowed advertising to expand by promoting products to people at home
• BBC launched in 1964 which showed programmes in colour
• Increase in the amount of commercial radio stations

Question 2

How was there a growth in leisure activities?

Answer 2

• People not expected to work on weekends
• Car ownership grew rapidly as they became more affordable and permitted travel to leisure sites such as shopping centres
• Mass production meant more people could shop as a lesiure activity
• Mass tourism as the number of holidays increased

Question 3

How was there a reduction in censorship?

Answer 3

• Roy Jenkins and backbench MP George Strauss abolished theatrical censorship in 1968
• Onscreen explicit violence and sex became more common and acceptable

Question 4

How was there progress towards female equality?

Answer 4

• National Health Service Act of 1967 provided contraceptives and advice to women for the first time
• First National Women’s Liberation Conference in 1970 put forth demands for equal pay, free childcare, free contraceptives + advice and equal educational and job opportunities

Question 5

How was there still issues of immigration and race?

Answer 5

• Race Relations Act passed in 1965 which forbade discrimination in public places on the grounds of ethnic origins, but discrimination in housing and employment were excluded which led to complaints despite the Race Relations Board being set up to settle disputes
• Influx of Kenyan Asians in 1968 prompted the government to pass a new Commonwealth Immigration Act which limited the return to Britain for non-white Commonwealth citizens
• Further Race Relations Act passed in 1968 which included housing and employment in disallowing ethnic discrimination in public places, although loopholes existed with discrimination being allowed for “racial balance” and the Race Relations Board only upheld 10% of its complaints