XN000022-1984-12-07 — Page 16

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1984

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THE 1983 SURVEY ALSO PROBED THE STAFFING QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING NEEDS IN 363 MEDIA ENTERPRISES WHICH COMPRISE 84 NEWSPAPERS, 254 MAGAZINES, FIVE TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS AND 29 NEWS AGENCIES.

HE POINTED OUT THAT EMPLOYERS PREFERRED TO RECRUIT BETTER- EDUCATED STAFF WITH POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, ALTHOUGH AT PRESENT A SIZEABLE PROPORTION OF THE STAFF HAD FORM 5 EDUCATION BACKGROUND.

HOWEVER, THE BOARD NOTED THAT REPORTERS, WHO FORMED THE BACKBONE OF A JOURNALISTIC TEAM, WERE GENERALLY UNDERPAID AND YET THEY WERE EXPECTED TO BE WELL QUALIFIED, HE ADDED.

THE SURVEY ALSO REVEALED THAT AS FEW EMPLOYERS PROVIDED IN-HOUSE TRAINING FOR THEIR STAFF, THERE WOULD BE A STRONG DEMAND FOR JOURNALISM COURSES ORGANISED BY OUTSIDE BODIES AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

THE TRAINING BOARD THEREFORE RECOMMENDED:

* THE PROMOTION OF MORE SHORT PART-TIME COURSES AND SEMINARS

FOR IN-SERVICE JOURNALISTS AS WELL AS FOR NEW ENTRANTS TO THE INDUSTRY.

* THE ORGANISATION OF A ONE- OR TWO-YEAR PART-TIME DIPLOMA

JOURNALISM COURSE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY.

ALLOCATION OF FUNDS FOR THE TRANSLATION INTO CHINESE OF KEY TEXTS IN JOURNALISM AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF COURSES MATERIALS BEST SUITED TO HONG KONG.

+ THE BOARD BELIEVES THAT IT IS IN THE INDUSTRY'S INTERESTS THAT THESE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES BE SUBSIDISED AS IN THE PAST,+ HE SAID.

SINCE THE FIRST MANPOWER SURVEY IN DECEMBER 1981, THE BOARD HAS OFFERED A NUMBER OF SUBSIDISED TRAINING COURSES AND SEMINARS ON TOPICS RANGING FROM LAW, NEWS TRANSLATION TO ENGLISH AND PUTONGHUA COMMUNICATION SKILLS. HAVE BENEFITED.

ALTOGETHER, 1 000 PEOPLE

+THE 1983 MANPOWER SURVEY REPORT ON THE MASS MEDIA+ PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE, IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AT $20.50 A COPY.

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