26
Wednesday, August 30, 1972
Mr. Birch pointed out that one of his department's most important
tasks was to expound to the listeners the aims, policies and practices of
Government, and to demonstrate what Government was trying to do for the public
by objectively portraying its activities.
"However, it must be recognised that no succession of reassuring
palliatives will succeed in convincing people that Government is good," he said.
To take a contemporary example, he said, the Lap Sap Chung was a fine
campaign symbol, but if the rubbish truck was not there at the end of the
street to take the rubbish away, then all the radio campaigns in the world
would not keep Hong Kong lean.
The Director said Government's broadcasting services had always been
the subject of lively controversy and there were conflicting demands among the
listeners.
"But how do we as broadcasters make sense out of these bewildering and
conflicting demands? First of all, let me say that by using audience research,
we are now able to find out broadly what the public wants."
He said a resent audience survey for the Chinese Service, for example,
showed an almost insatiable demand for popular drama, and the Drama Section was
now producing no less than 52 plays a week.
"Similarly, we have found out that on the English Service, the main
listeners to English news magazines in the evening are Chinese who prefer local
news and in the morning expatriates who want more international news, so we have
cut our cloth ascording to this pattern.'
Mr. Birch again
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