TNAG-1989-FCO40-2822-Hong-Kong-Telecommunications-(Amendment)-Ordinance-1989-(No.-1989 — Page 338

RESTRICTED

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG

TO ROUTINE FCO

TELNO 134

OF 11114OZ JANUARY 89

INFO ROUTINE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING

PA

расс

154426

MDLIAN 7603

мко 306/

M

YRTELNO 51 OF 6 JANUARY 1989: BBC WORLD SERVICE RELAY IN HONG KONG

1. AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE HAS BEEN REACHED WITH BBC FOR THE BROADCASTING OF THE WORLD SERVICE IN ENGLISH ON RTHK 5 TO BE EXTENDED TO A 24-HOUR BASIS, INITIALLY AS AN EXPERIMENT. THIS WILL BE A DIRECT RELAY WITH NO EDITING IN HONG KONG.

2. WE HAVE ALSO DISCUSSED THE REBROADCASTING ON OTHER RTHK CHANNELS OF BBC CANTONESE AND MANDARIN PROGRAMMES. PROGRAMMING DECISIONS ON SUCH MATERIAL RESTS WITH THE DIRECTOR OF BROADCASTING. GIVEN THE POPULARITY OF BBC PROGRAMMES IT IS LIKELY THAT RTHK WILL AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE BBC MATERIAL, BUT TO WHAT EXTENT AND IN WHAT MANNER WILL BE DETERMINED AT THE OPERATIONAL LEVEL.

3. WE ARE NOW TAKING STEPS TO CONFIRM THE ABOVE ARRANGEMENTS FORMALLY WITH THE BBC.

4. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW RTHK 5 SERVICE (IE THE BBC SERVICE) IS SCHEDULED FOR LATE 1989. FINANCIAL PROVISIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN INCLUDED IN RTHK'S ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR 1989-90. THE SERVICE WILL BE BROADCAST ON THE AM WAVE-BAND. THE ALLOCATION OF FREQUENCY HAS YET TO BE DECIDED, BUT WE WILL ENSURE THAT THE SERVICE WILL HAVE TERRITORY-WIDE COVERAGE.

5. WE PROPOSE TO KEEP THIS LOW-KEY AND DO NOT INTEND TO MAKE A FORMAL GOVERNMENT ANNOUCEMENT ABOUT THE NEW SERVICE. IT MAY BECOME PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AFTER THE BUDGET (1 MARCH) WHEN THE ESTIMATES ARE MADE PUBLIC AND CONSIDERED BY FINANCE COMMITTEE. NEARER THE TIME, RTHK WILL MAKE A PROGRAMME ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE CHANGES.

WILSON

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