attracted huge audiences.
Music
35.
Both serious and light music lovers are well catered for on the Chinese Radio Service. Joe Chen led the field in light music combining his unique presentation with an excellent variety of music to make the daily "Joe Chen's Choice" one of the most popular programmes of the day. As most devotees of western classical music are well served by RHK-4 the Chinese Radio Service concentrates on the Chinese classics. The Service is instrumental in helping to keep Cantonese operas and orchestras very much alive through its frequent recordings and transmissions of recitals, concerts and operas. The Lung Cheung Opera Group continued to be in great demand for outside performances, presenting seventy-two operas during the year.
ENGLISH RADIO SERVICE (RHK-3 and RHK-4)
36.
The English Radio Service was subjected to a far more unsettled year than the Chinese one due to the deaths of the Controller and the Head of Presentation and staff changes and shortages but it made considerable strides in expanding home- produced programmes. Many producers also began to gain confidence with experience and were consequently able to experiment within the format of their programmes. The advent of local producers led to a greater awareness of programme possibilities within Hong Kong.
37.
Among the programmes which came in for the greatest attention throughout the year were the "Early Morning Show" and "Insight", "The Early Morning Show" has become something of an institution due mainly to the personality of presenter, Ralph Pixton, who has been aptly described as the man with the voice to wake up to'. There are few in the English-speaking community who are not his ardent fans a fact well proven by the many requests for Ralph's services as a public speaker. "Open Line", the phone-in spot of the programme has proved a useful forum for listeners. "Insight" once again led the field in dealing in depth with items of topical interest and the producers offered excellent coverage on the whole spectrum of international events. Closer to home, audiences were kept informed with sound objective reporting on the major issues and events in Hong Kong.
General Programmes
38.
Over the year this section became considerably better
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