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CJ Rawlinson Esq
Information Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SWLA 2AH
BRITISH TRADE COMMISSION
HONG KONG.
HKD 306113
March 1989
RE
15 MAR 1989
Jiv.
Dea Rawhnom,
BBC WORLD SERVICE
Thank you for your letter of 17 February. I think my telegrams 308 and 327 explained the problem. I am glad to hear that the BBC are taking account of the complaints though increasing the financial content of ''Newshour" will not help the local stations unless it can be at a specified time so they can cue it in.
I notice that the BBC are placing more emphasis on direct broadcasting; they have been advertising their wavelengths here. However, I have always thought it more useful to secure relays on local stations than to rely on people tuning in to the BBC. Most people want to hear their local stations and to hear the BBC from time to time and they prefer to do it without switching stations. There may be some merit in emphasising direct broad- casting in places where there is restricted access to news but that does not apply here in Hong Kong.
It is interesting to see how much more Voice of America material is now being relayed by Hong Kong stations. The VOA has not yet found any spots for their news bulletins though on television CNN is relayed by one station throughout Sunday afternoon and all night after normal closedown. More Americans are being employed by the radio and television stations and their presence is becoming very noticeable. This makes the reduction in BBC relays even more of a pity. Even if the BBC are allocated an exclusive medium wave frequency in Hong Kong later this year, I do not think it will be as effective as relays on the local stations.
Your ears,
Rey Hollow
R E Holloway
Senior British Trade Commissioner
REH/mcs
cc: A R Paul Esq, HKD, FCO
Miss Me // Mc Forgan N417 Mr WoWITE
13
Mr Hay with
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