TNAG-1695-FCO40-2351-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-1987 — Page 127

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Present:

FCO

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MEETING WITH BBC EXTERNAL SERVICES ON 11 MARCH 1987

PA Broadcasting

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Mr Barrington, AUSS

Mr Hinchcliffe, Information Department Mr Rawlinson, Information Department

2 4 APR 1987

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BBC

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Mr Tusa, Managing Director, BBC External Services Mr Bell, Deputy Managing Director

Mr Witherow, Controller Resources and Administration Mr Dodd, Controller Overseas Services

Mr Udell, Controller European Services

Ms Bebb, Special Assistant to Managing Director

The Prescription

1. Mr Barrington summarised the conclusions reached at the fourth FCO Prescription Committee meeting on 25 February, which he explained had been timed to coincide with the annual Top Management Round. It had been ten months since the last meeting. As the BBC knew, Ministers had subsequently endorsed a one hour a day increase in Mandarin, which the BBC confirmed would start when the new Hong Kong relay station became operational in October 1987. Ministers had not, however, been convinced of the case for a new Korean service. The Committee had again reviewed the whole prescription and various proposals for changes in output had been considered, including those made by the BBC to the Public Accounts and Foreign Affairs Committees. As in the past FCO officials would value the reactions of Bush House to the Committee's proposals before submitting to Ministers.

2.

The Committee had in mind to propose the following increases:

i)

ii)

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Korean although such a proposal had not been approved last year, officials still felt, after a reassessment, that there was a good case for recommending a new 30- minute a day service (estimated annual cost £177,000) again to Ministers;

"Calling the Caribbean" - a new 15-minute a day programme in English for five days a week as a World Service alternative (estimated annual cost £110,000 plus £90,000 for time on Radio Antilles medium wave transmitter);

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