CO537-5142 — Page 186

HONG KONG : BROADCASTING.

Conversion at 15 H/K8 = £1

(I)

A.FINANCE

The 'Foreign Office' Project.

1.

The existing transmitting Site of the domestic broadcasting service will not do for the 71⁄2 k/w transmitters which the Foreign Office proposes to transfer from Singapore.

Hong Kong now suggests a new one on H/K island which is O.K. technically and strategically. But it will cost about learly as much - 1,150,000 (£76,666) - in capital expenditure to erect the Singapore transmitters on this site as it would have done in the New Territories $1,400,000 (£93,333).

-

2.

H/K agrees to wash out its plan for extra English broadcasts save for 2 hours; but sticks to its guns on the need for a continuous Chinese programme from 0700 to midnight. The recurring costs now come out at

Engineering $250,000

Programme $500,000

(£16,060 )

(£32,120 )

Total = $750,000 Total £48,180

(as compared with the previous estimate at

Engineering $330,000

Programme $600,000

(£22,000)

(£40,000)

B. STAFF

C.PREMISES

Total = $930,000 Total£62,000

The Governor adds that a contribution towards the rental of premises in the new Cable and Wireless building, "in proportion to the floor space occupied by the staff of the new China broadcasting service would also appear to be equitable."

3.

Additional staff required by the Hong Kong broadcasting service in order to undertake the Foreign Office project would include only one expatriate officer a News and Talks Director. I

4. To meet the Foreign office project, H/K would need to rent half the 5th floor of the new Cable and Wireless building. This would be in addition to the whole of the 6th and 7th floors which are in any case required for the domestic broadcasting service. H/K asks to be told whether or not this half of the 5th floor is needed in 14 days (from 22nd June) as the building is nearing that floor and air-conditioning for studios involves different floor construction.

(II) The Domestic Broadcasting Service.

5. The H/K Broadcasting Service, whose present studio premises are inadequate, is committed to moving into the 6th and 7th floors of the Cable and Wireless building in any event. The capital cost of the special structural requirements of the H/K Broadcasting Service for these two floors is estimated at $150,000 (£10,000), and this is provided for in the H/K estimates. But the acoustical treatment of the studios, according to the B.B.C's prescription, will cost a further $135,000 (£9,000), for which no provision has been made. All this is exclusive of the capital cost of air-conditioning and furnishing. (A rental will also be paid for the premises. Presumably this is provided for, though it is not stated.)

/The