PRESS, BROADCASTING AND CINEMA
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magazine, 'Topics'. A twice-daily programme for tourists, 'The Pearl in Your Hand', ran throughout the year. It is popular with both visitors and residents, and undoubtedly makes a valuable contribution to the tourist industry which is now one of Hong Kong's biggest sources of revenue. Daily 15-minute classes in Cantonese were re-started during the year and attracted a large following among expatriates of all nationalities wishing to learn the language.
Commercial Radio. The Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Company Limited transmits one English and two Chinese services. During 1965 the English service_devoted more time to locally produced programmes. In addition to nightly interview programmes, a weekly documentary programme of international news was pro- duced in the studios. The station also had its own correspondent in South Vietnam to send back a 30-minute tape each week including interviews from the battlefields.
Active coverage was again given to local sports, including com- mentaries on all major matches. A drama group of staff members and contributors was formed and produced several plays, including some by local writers. The station also produced the Hong Kong part of the Pacific Pageant' for the American Society of Travel Agents' Convention, and co-ordinated the shows of the six visiting countries. Special music for the show was composed by a staff member. In addition to outside broadcasts from the City Hall there was an increase in the number of local artists broadcast, both from relays and from the studios. The percentage of spoken word programmes (including news) rose from 21 per cent to 25 per cent. The musical policy of the station is basically 'middle of the road' with special times set aside for popular and classical music.
The Chinese service continued to promote juvenile and adult education. Several series of lectures were broadcast, and the subjects covered included the secondary school entrance examination, English conversation (for which 10,000 copies of text books were given away free of charge), general economics, and public relations.
There were many outside broadcasts, including the drawing of government lotteries, the Queen's birthday parade and the arrival and departure of HRH Princess Alexandra in September.