subscribers to the Rediffusion service. It will, of course, be impossible to draw a true comparison between the popularity of each service until Radio Hong Kong and Rediffusion offer programmes of equal duration. In the meantime it can only be assumed that the trend towards Rediffusion is due to the longer programme hours coupled with simplicity of operation.
36. A new Limited Radio (Teletype) Receiving Licence was brought into use to permit subscribers to Press Agencies to receive their news copy by direct relay from source.
37.
Licences. The
The total number of licences of all kinds in force at 31st March, 1954, was 42,276. Of this number 41,750 represented domestic broadcast receiving licences, a reduction of 856 over the previous year.
38. The continued control over re-export of essential radio equipment coupled with apparent failure of broadcasting to attract new adherents was reflected in a drop from 278 to 234 in the number of licenced radio dealers.
REDIFFUSION
39. Royalties received by Government from this service increased by $568 to $557,620 thus reflecting it's continued growth in popularity. The number of subscribers also increased from 46,421 to 47,583.
WIRELESS SURVEYS & INSPECTIONS
40. This important side of the Wireless Inspectorate carried out 148 surveys and 61 inspections of ship radio instal- lations whilst 32 ships direction finders were calibrated. No aircraft stations were inspected.
41. In accordance with the Extraordinary Administrative Radio Conference held under the aegis of the Atlantic City Convention, a world-wide transfer of ships radio frequencies into agreed maritime bands was completed and all ships of Hong Kong registry were re-allocated frequencies and moved into band accordingly.
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