TNAG-1555-FCO40-2119-Broadcasting-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 324

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BBC EXTERNAL SERVICES:

PRESCRIPTION COMMITTEE

24 APRIL 1986

Present:

RECORD OF MEETING

Mr Barrington, Chairman

Dr Wilson

Mr Ratford

Mr Reeve

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from 8

17hn 300

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

22 MAY 1986

DESK OFFICER

Mr Hinchcliffe, Information Departiedosx

Mr Day, MED

Mr Woolley, Planning Staff

Mrs Wright, Information Department

Mr Rawlinson, Information Department

Prescription Changes following June 1985 Meeting

Crail;

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1. Mr Barrington referred to the recommendations of the

last Prescription Committee meeting in June 1985, which had

been endorsed by Ministers: an extra 30 minutes a day in

Pashto, an extra 15 minutes a day in the Malay/Indonesian

Service and a doubling of the weekly Caribbean Magazine "Topical Tape" to 30 minutes.

If any cuts had to be made to

been agreed they would be

finance these increases it had

made in the French for Europe and German Services.

2. Mrs Wright summarised the subsequent discussion with the

BBC of these changes to the prescription and their eventual

implementation. The Pashto Service had been increased by 15

minutes a day at 0645-0700 local time from Sunday to

Thursday from 23 March at an annual additional cost of

£78,000. Ministers had accepted that the £170,000 annual

cost of a 30 minute increase, because of the extra staff

required, was not justified. The Indonesian Service, which

covered three time-zones, had been increased by an

additional 15 minute dawn bulletin at 0515-0530 Jakarta time

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