COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA
RTHK maintains regular links with international broadcasting associations and overseas radio stations. It co-produces programmes with stations in China and overseas stations broadcasting in Chinese. Through these exchanges, overseas Chinese communities and local audiences are able to keep in touch on a regular basis.
In order to provide a channel for meaningful dialogue between the station and its listeners, advisory panels for the different RTHK channels have been set up. Each channel has a dedicated panel, comprising 20 to 40 members of the public, and each advisory panel held two meetings in the year.
To further improve RTHK's transmission service, a campaign was launched in the middle of the year to help solve reception difficulties, to identify problems and to make home visits where necessary. The service was enthusiastically welcomed by listeners who had had difficulties receiving the radio channels.
Commercial Radio
Commercial Radio operates two Chinese services (CR1 and CR2) on FM frequencies and one English service (Quote 864) on an AM frequency on a 24-hour basis.
CR1 is mainly an information channel, centring on news, current affairs and financial items. Its slogan is 'The Voice of the People', representing its commitment to let the general public voice their opinions.
CR2 continues to appeal to students and young people by promoting pop music. In an effort to promote the development of local music, the channel has decided to broadcast only original works. Quote 864 broadcasts in music format with hourly news and weather reports.
Metro Broadcast
Metro Broadcast operates three commercial radio services. Hit Radio and FM Select are on FM frequencies and Metro Plus is on an AM frequency.
Hit Radio is a Chinese channel featuring Chinese and Western pop music. In 1995, Hit Radio produced a number of concerts in co-operation with government departments such as the Housing Authority and the Action Committee Against Narcotics to promote the messages of protecting the environment and fighting against drugs.
FM Select offers a bilingual service which targets a more mature audience, aged 25 and above. It features a variety of contemporary music as well as golden oldies. At least eight hours of its programmes are conducted in English each day.
Metro Plus revised its weekday news programme format in May to introduce three hours of China Radio International (CRI) programmes and extended the broadcast of Cable News Network International programmes from three to five hours daily. Together with its own news programmes, Metro Plus provides 13 hours of news and current affairs programmes daily from Monday to Friday. Besides its Cantonese and English programmes, Metro Broadcast also presents programmes in Putonghua, Japanese and Tagalog on Hit Radio, FM Select, and Metro Plus, respectively.
Satellite Radio
STAR TV introduced its first satellite radio service in March 1995. The service, comprising two satellite radio channels, is broadcast on sub-carriers on the same
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