THE MEDIA
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For the third year running, RTHK won a prize at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Young Film Makers' Competition at Shiraz. The award, the Fereidum Rahnema Golden Prize, was for the 50-minute drama, Wild Children, in which young children were used as actors. The film was one of two RTHK drama episodes shown at the National Film Theatre as part of the London Film Festival in November.
Sound Broadcasting
Hong Kong's two sound broadcasting stations are Radio Television Hong Kong and Commercial Radio, which is associated with Commercial Television. RTHK, as the government radio station, is financed from general revenue and does not carry advertising.
It has two English language and two Chinese channels and broadcasts in both the FM and AM wavebands. The station's role is to produce radio and television pro- grammes that inform, educate and entertain. It operates under its own management. RTHK's four radio channels broadcast almost 600 hours of varied programmes a week covering the full entertainment and information spectrum popular music shows, drama, variety, and news and public affairs features.
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During the year, news and current affairs programmes expanded to almost 10 hours a day, a proportion relayed from the BBC's World Service, but the majority locally produced. Major changes were made to the peak morning time with the introduction of Hong Kong Today in Chinese and Today on the English radio service. Both half- hour programmes introduced local and overseas news, and news-features in a bright, informative style. Daily reviews of the Hong Kong Press and the business scene proved particularly successful.
The popular news magazine, Insight, was re-introduced after a short rest and resumed its in-depth treatment of major local issues. Sports programmes also were expanded and the station continued to provide 'live' coverage of Legislative Council proceedings.
A range of new feature programmes were introduced during 1977, covering con- sumer affairs, motoring, books and the arts. But by far the most popular expansion in both Chinese and English radio was in access programmes. More listeners than ever took the opportunity to phone-in and seek advice, lodge complaints and ask questions on a range of subjects from public housing to pet care.
Community involvement was again a keynote to the broadcasting year. The station's staff took part in sponsored walks, sold recipes, read fortunes, organised a mammoth raffle and, finally, presented its largest ever donation to the Community Chest of Hong Kong.
The FM stereo service, introduced in 1976, was improved by the addition of two low-powered transmitters. Most of the urban area can now receive a perfect signal. During 1977, Commercial Radio's two Chinese channels arranged their program- ming to meet the information and entertainment requirements of as wide a spread of the public as possible. The first service's format was completely changed and now features magazine-style programmes of interviews, music and drama, and talk-back shows. The second service became entirely youth-oriented in April, and its emphasis is on music and personality disc jockey shows.
The English service's programming is built round an extensive play-list reflecting the latest and best in popular music. In association with the Hong Kong Tourist