176
HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
The appearance on the market of cheaper radio sets ($100 and under) and the introduction by many dealers of hire- purchase terms resulted in a greatly increased potential audience of radio listeners. Radio is now available to thousands in the lower income groups. This has been con- firmed by figures for the sale of radio sets, and by the number of radio licences, which has increased by 8,309, compared with a rise of only 1,861 in the previous year. The present licence figure of 52,468 is a record.
Wired transmission
Rediffusion (Hong Kong) Ltd. provides a wired service throughout Hong Kong and Kowloon, and extending to parts of the New Territories, including Tsun Wan, Yuen Long, Taipo, Fanling and Sek Kong. Lines are hired from the Hong Kong Telephone Co. Ltd. At present the system runs to 900,000 yards of high-level link and network with approx. 2,000,000 yards of drop-in. Distribution is from three sub- stations, two in Victoria and one in Kowloon, feeding 20 kiosks, from which 108 feeders radiate to loudspeakers.
Programmes are originated in Rediffusion House, Hennessy Road and Arsenal Street, from modern air- conditioned studios; the staff employed, including technical staff, being just under 50. In addition to live, pre-recorded, and transcribed programmes, the Rediffusion services take news bulletins and a number of popular weekly features from Radio Hong Kong's programmes. 14% of all programmes are commercially sponsored, and the service enjoys wide popularity.
The rent for a loudspeaker is $10 a month, and by the operation of a switch the subscriber has a choice of two programmes maintained daily from 7 a.m. to midnight, an English-language service, and a Chinese service transmitting in Cantonese, Kuoyu, Chiuchow, and Shanghai dialect.
Rediffusion, which started in the United Kingdom 28 years ago, operates in many parts of the Commonwealth, and the Hong Kong company, though locally registered and with a local board of directors, is part of this widespread organiza- tion.
FILM INDUSTRY
Hong Kong film studios produced 227 films in 1955, as against 188 in the preceding year. Hong Kong gives place