A SUMMARY OF FEEDBACK FROM LISTENERS ́ LETTERS RECEIVED IN THE LAST FULL YEAR (1968) AND IN THE LAST QUARTER
(MARCH - MAY 1989)
1988
The 38,517 letters received in 1988 represent the highest annual letter total recorded for the Chinese Service. 98% of the mail came from China; of the letters from overseas Chinese, Malaysia and Indonesia contributed the most. Requests for Chinese Service programme guides and for texts of the English lessons and other learning materials accounted for a large proportion of the mailbag. However, many letters also contained feedback on Chinese Service output: English lessons, listener participation programmes (such as "You Ask, I Answer", "On the Air" and "Letterbox") аб well as news and current affairs coverage were mentioned most often. There was a great deal of favourable
reporting on Chinese affairs, such
to
reaction "Chinareel".
programmes
as
The slow speed world news bulletin in Special English, introduced in September 1988, was welcomed by many young listeners.
1989
12,470 letters were received during the months of March The pattern of mail was very similar to that in 1988.
to May.
The first batch of some 600 letters to arrive from China since the 4th June massacre (received on 13th June but most mail was posted to
the P.0. Box in Peking before the 4th) contained over 60 references to the pro-democracy demonstrations or their aftermath. Virtually all were critical of the authorities. Many contained appreciative comments about the BBC coverage of the events. Some claimed that the BBC was the only source of information they could trust. Many paid special tribute to the BBC Peking Correspondent James Miles and his colleagues.
Some listeners wrote about the events taking place in China and asked that their letters be read on the air, without mentioning any names. (Many letters were sent anonymously.)
Some letters have been sent direct to London by air mail. One reported that the audibility of the BBC had worsened and that VOA's broadcasts still suffered badly.
A selection of extracts from listeners' letters follows.
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Private notes are available after approval.