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PUBLICATIONS, BROADCASTING AND FILMS
The Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Company Ltd came on the air in 1959. It broadcasts one English and two Chinese commercial sound services for 17 hours daily on medium wave. It is financed entirely from commercial advertisements.
At the end of the year, there were 144,922 sound broadcast receiving licences in force, although the number of radio receivers in use was estimated to be between 400,000 and 500,000. The disparity between receivers in use and licences in force gives rise for concern and consideration is being given to the introduction of new licence enforcement measures. At the end of the year, there were 33,934 subscribers to the Rediffusion sound service and 25,037 to the television service.
Government announced in May that it was prepared to consider the introduction of wireless television on the general basis that this new service should be operated commercially by private enter- prise, with proper safeguards for the public interest. Work was put in hand on the preparation of legislation to provide a legal framework for the new service. After enaction of this legislation it will be possible to call for tenders for the operation of the service.
RADIO HONG KONG
Radio Hong Kong is organized in four divisions--Chinese and English-programme services, and administrative and engineering divisions. The total staff employed is 117. For the past 13 years, the studio centre has been in Mercury House, the Far Eastern headquarters of Cable and Wireless Ltd. Expansion of services has necessitated an expansion of accommodation, and during the year work began on plans to convert the main building of the former naval base, HMS Tamar, into a new temporary studio centre. Construction work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 1964.
Both programme services are broadcast on medium wave and FM transmissions and the Chinese service is also broadcast on shortwave. The medium and shortwave transmitters are sited in Kowloon at Hung Hom, but as the site is required for redevelop- ment, a new site is being sought. The FM transmitters are at Mount Gough on Hong Kong Island. The number of radio receivers in use in the Colony has increased considerably during
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