PRESS, BROADCASTING, FILMS AND TOURISM
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Kong. The transmitters (2 kw. for the medium wave service and 2 kw. on short wave) are situated at Hung Hom in Kowloon. Programmes originate from Mercury House and from a number of outside broadcasting points, in stadia, theatres, churches etc., connected to the studios by lines rented from the Hong Kong Telephone Company Ltd. The studios are well-equipped, with two services operating from different floors, and include a Concert Hall with seating for 100, extending to both floors and used by both services as required.
The station is directed by a Controller of Broadcasting, with a senior programme assistant for each service, seven programme assistants, four announcers for the Chinese service, two Record Librarians, and a small clerical staff; the full personnel, excluding technical staff supplied by Cable and Wireless, amounting to 34. Announcing and newsreading services on the English programme are all provided by amateur broadcasters.
In recent years it had become increasingly clear that an improvement in the services provided by Radio Hong Kong could only be maintained by spending considerably larger sums of public money than hitherto. Following a debate on a Sessional Paper 'The Future of Broadcasting in Hong Kong' in the Legislative Council at the beginning of the year, the Government decided to abandon the principle that revenue from licence fees should cover the cost of broad- casting; to introduce all-day broadcasting on the Chinese service; to explore all possible means of improving the coverage of the Station's transmitters; to improve the variety and scope of programmes; and to invite tenders for the operation under licence of a commercial broadcasting station, whose activities might reasonably be expected to lead to an enhanced revenue from licence fees which would help to bridge the gap between Government expenditure and revenue on Radio Hong Kong.
Action to implement all aspects of this new policy were