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SUMMARY RECORD OF REVIEW OF BBC FAR EAST SERVICE
WEDNESDAY 2 AUGUST 1989
in the chair
Participants
FCO
Mr Richard Muir Mr Boyd McCleary
Mr Peter Thomas
Mr James Rawlinson
Mr Ken Walker
Mr David Beaney
Mr Robert Footman Mrs Anna Kirk Mr Chris Green
BBC World Service
Mr David Witherow Mr Peter Udell Mr Basil Clarke Miss Maureen Bebb
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Head of Information Dept Far Eastern Department South East Asian Department Information Department Research Department Information Department Hong Kong Department Policy Planning Staff Information Department
Deputy Managing Director Controller, Overseas Services Head of Far Eastern Service Chief Assistant, Directorate
JAPANESE SERVICE
1.
Mr Udell said that the Post's judgement that the impact of the Service was minimal tied in with BBC's own major worries that radio listening in Japan was in crisis and that listening on SW to foreign broadcasters was rare. A radical BBC review was under way into the sort of programmes that were being provided and the means of delivering them. A major research project by IBAR had been put in hand, the material from which would be processed during August and the results available in September. BBC had hopes that rebroadcasting, both direct and via cable, might prove the way forward as it had in Western Europe and the US. But he did not see this as an argument for abandoning SW broadcasts, which should remain as part of the armoury of delivery systems. He agreed, however, that to retain the Service for the existing 0.1% regular audience was not sensible.
2.
Mr McCleary said that all available evidence pointed to the Japanese obaining the bulk of their news and current affairs from newspapers and television rather than from radio. (This is confirmed by BBC survey material). Embassy had looked very closely into the question of the future of the Service and judged that it had little or no value.
RB2ADN/1
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