CO537-5142 — Page 242

Colonial Secretariat file No. 2/1036/49

SAVINGRAM

To the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

From the Governor, Hong Kong.

Date March, 1949.

Colonial Office file

No. 96 34/15/49

INFORMATION

- 5APK 1949

REGISTRY

No.

Ss. (PRIORITY) (SECRET)

58.

Your secret Savingram-No. 39 of 10th February, 1949. Following are my observations on paragraph 2:-

(a) With medium wave on 71⁄2k transmitters it would be necessary to instal transmitters in the northern part of the New Territories and the estimates below have been framed accordingly.

(b) It is presumed that programmes "originated in Hong Kong" are as distinct from programmes relayed by Hong Kong. Even with the present limited hours of broadcasting in Hong Kong we are chiefly dependent on recorded material, and with the extended hours now proposed the proportion of recorded material, particularly that of the B.B. C. T.S. in the English

rogramme, would be still greater.

(c) It is hoped that four 73kW transmitters may be made available, One would be used for the English programme, the second for the Chinese programe, the third would be a reserve transmitter to allow of periodic servicing of the other two, and the fourth would be earmarked for a possible alternative transmission. I is contemplated that the English and Chinese programmes would be broadcast from the new transmitters on the same fre- quencies respectively as the present Z. B. W. and Z. E.K. The latter would he retained in reserve on their present site at Hunt Hom, for security reasons, as the proposed new site, being close to the frontier, might become untenable in an emergency. It would also be necessary to retain and use the present 24kW shortwave transmitter, Z.B.7.3, in order to retain our claim to the frequency 9.525 m/cs in the 31-metre band.

(a) Reference is made below to the desirability of having a special News and Talks staff for liaison with the Foreign Office.

(e) The estimates of cost submitted in this savingram are over and above the proposed provision for Broadcasting in the estimates for 1949/50. The latter comprises about $350,000 on the programme side under Head 25 B, Broadcastin; and about £300,000 on the engineering side contained, but not separately specified, under Head 25 C, Telecommunications.

2. Information required in answer to your para. 3, 'sub-paras. (i) – (v), is as follows:-

(i) A new site would be essential as it appears that a 74kW transmitter on the Hung Hom site would not be heard in Canton and as indicated above, the only satisfactory sites are in the northern parts of the New Territories. New masts, aerial equipment and buildings would therefore be needed.

(ii) Engineers are available to undertake installation but we should require one European resident engineer with some local technical staff.

(iii) Power supply should be adequate but stand-by emergency plant would be necessary.

(iv) Additional studio accommodation and equipment and programe staff would be needed; see estimate below.

(v) After careful consideration, I favour the extension of existing programme hours together with improvement in the quality of present programmes rather than the introduction of a distinct, new programte 'service.

The pre- sent schedules are one English programme and one Chinese programme, the hours for each being 12.30 p.m. to 2.00 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. to 11.15 p.m. It is contemplated that under the new project each of these two programmes would be

/continuous