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HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
accommodation, all offices were completely reconstructed at the end of the year.
The department is directed by the Controller of Broadcasting, with Senior Programme Assistants in charge of each programme service. Staff Programme Assistants are responsible for the writing, compilation and production of the bulk of all programmes. The Chinese Service also has staff announcers whilst the English Service announcers are part-time contributors. Staff announcers will be employed when the English Service is expanded in 1960.
Both Chinese and English services use large numbers of con- tributors, writers, musicians, producers, actors and speakers.
1959 was marked by a continued increase in the number of locally produced programmes of all kinds on both services, and it was also a year of big projects, which made very heavy demands on both programme and technical staff.
Among these were the visit of H.R.H. the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the visit of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Arts Festival, the Macau Grand Prix, the British General Election and many new outside broadcasts.
Some of these projects particularly the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh, affected both programme services jointly. The greatest possible broadcast coverage was given to the Royal visit, and from the moment commentators on the lighthouse at Waglan Island and on the Royal Navy escorts brought the first news of his arrival in the Royal Yacht until the same commentators described Britannia slipping out to sea two days later, every major event was covered. Every available outside broadcast team was in action constantly for two days, and in order to set up equipment at out- side points the broadcasters' working day began at about 6 a.m. and ended at midnight.
The Hong Kong Festival of the Arts is now an established annual event. In previous years Radio Hong Kong's principal role in the Festival was that of publicist and commentator, its own artistic contributions being limited to plays. In 1959 Radio Hong Kong emerged as a principal contributor in its own right, and its efforts were recognized by the award of the Liang Yu Society's prize for the best Chinese music concerts in the Festival. The prize was awarded for the three public concerts of Chinese classical