For 70 years, Brits have had a love-hate relationship with their television sets. But attention is more than ever shifting to online streaming. Is it weakening British culture?
YouTube leads ‘takeover’ of UK TV
Channel of choice: DanTDM, whose real name is Daniel Robert Middleton, is a British YouTuber, gamer, and author. He started his main YouTube channel in 2012 and has since become one of the most popular content creators on the platform. Comprehension quiz
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Define the word “unimaginable” as it is used in the text.
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Which word is the closest synonym for “iconic”?
A: Common
B: Traditional
C: Recognisable
D: Unknown
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According to the article, what key factor led to television becoming a “mass phenomenon” in the UK?
A: The start of online streaming services like YouTube.
B: The arrival of advertisements on screens, funding channels like ITV.
C: The BBC topping the list of the UK’s most-watched services.
D: Young people switching to YouTube’s TV app.
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What evidence is provided to support the idea that viewing habits across different age groups are changing?
A: 20% of children switch to the YouTube TV app as soon as they turn the set on.
B: Viewers over the age of 55 watched twice as much YouTube in 2024 as the year before.
C: Just 45% of young adults watched live TV weekly in 2024.
D: The UK’s most-watched services list is still topped by the BBC.
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What is the primary concern raised by the BBC’s Patricia Hidalgo regarding the shift from traditional TV to American-produced online content?
A: That people are spending too much time glued to their screens.
B: That parents will moan at their children more often.
C: That children will not have a strong sense of cultural identity.
D: That TV shows will no longer provide discussion topics in the playground.
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The article discusses both the potential loss of a shared sense of culture from the shift away from conventional television and the idea that viewing habits naturally evolve. In your opinion, do you think the benefits of modern streaming (personal choice, engaging content) outweigh the benefits of traditional TV (shared experience, promoting British culture)? Explain your view with reference to the text and your own experience.
Answers
Tap to reveal
1: Previously thought to be impossible or extremely difficult to believe., 2: C, 3: B, 4: B, 5: C, 6: Your views!
1: Previously thought to be impossible or extremely difficult to believe., 2: C, 3: B, 4: B, 5: C, 6: Your views!
Glossary
ITV - ITV stands for Independent Television, a major British media company that acts as a producer, broadcaster, and streamer, primarily operating in the UK.
Iconic - Very famous or popular.
Showcasing - Displaying.
Obsession - A state in which someone thinks about someone or something constantly or frequently especially in a way that is not normal.