XN000022-1972-06-16 — Page 16

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Friday, June 16, 1972

The only

It seemed likely from the outset that wireless television, because of its ability to reach a greater proportion of the population by broadcast means than was possible by subscription television, would eventually outstrip its wired competitor in terms of numbers of vieweгa. question was how long this growth would take. In fact it has happened very quickly indeed. Now the sole wireless T.V. operator, introduced initially as competitor to wired television, is in need of competition itself from other wireless television licensees,

In December 1970 a working party comprising the Television Advisory Board and other Government officers was set up to consider these and other related problems. It completed its report nine months later having held over 40 meetings covering all aspects of television and sound broadcasting and including some sessions at which the views of the existing licensees were heard.

Number Of Channels

There arose the question of how many channels were desirable. Obviously the number of channels is limited by technical factors such as the limited number of frequencies available for allocation and the fact that each service requires one main transmitter with ten or more subsidiary transmitters operating on different frequencies to enable the service to reach all parts of the Colony. A survey of the available frequencies revealed that it was just possible to establish in theory a maximum of six channels of television in one language or the other. How were these service frequencies to be used? Firstly, it was felt that one new licence, to cover one additional programme service in Chinese and one in English was essential. The reason behind this decision was that it was considered necessary to have competition for wireless television in both languages if high programme standards were to be maintained. The English language programmes cater to smaller audiences than the Chinese programmes and it was considered that two channels of English programmes was the maximum competition which Hong Kong could support commercially now or in the future licensees were to maintain their economic viability. The Chinese language programmes, because of the larger audiences, could however support more competition and the committee calculated that by 1975 a third single channel offering Chinese programmes only would be economically viable within the context of the available revenues from commercial advertising. Hong Kong is enjoying a fast rising standard

if the

/of living....