Often tested

TV, radio and the TV licence

Britain has lots of TV channels. You can watch some of them for free, while others need a paid subscription. Popular programmes include long-running soap operas such as Coronation Street and EastEnders.

Each nation also has its own programmes. Scotland has its own shows and a channel in Gaelic; Wales has a channel in Welsh; and Northern Ireland has its own programmes too, some of them in Irish Gaelic.

The Welsh-language channel is S4C, which started in 1982, and the Scottish Gaelic channel is BBC Alba, which began in 2008 (Alba is the Gaelic word for Scotland).

You need a licence to watch TV

This surprises many newcomers. In the UK, if you have a TV, a computer or any other device you use to watch television, you must buy a TV licence.

• One licence covers every device in one home.
• The exception: in a shared house where people rent separate rooms, each on their own tenancy agreement, each person needs their own licence.
• People over 75 can apply for a free licence, and blind people get 50% off.
• Watching TV without a licence can lead to a fine of up to £1,000.

The licence fee pays for the BBC, the UK's public broadcaster, which makes both TV and radio programmes. It is the largest broadcaster in the world. Part of its money comes from the state, but the BBC is independent of the government. Other TV channels are funded mainly by advertising and subscriptions.

Radio works the same way. There are national and local stations, some playing one kind of music and some broadcasting in Welsh or Gaelic. BBC radio is paid for by the TV licence; other stations rely on advertising.

Social networking

Many people in Britain use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to keep in touch with friends, arrange to meet up, and share photos, videos and opinions. Many people use them on their phones when they are out and about.

Chapter contents: Leisure and Places of Interest