TNAG-1990-FCO40-2823-Broadcasting-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 15

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 159

OF 300811Z NOVEMBER 89

INFO ROUTINE F CO

153,

CONFIDENTIAL

54

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YOUR TELNO 140

RADIO PROGRAMME ON HONG KONG

1.

THANK YOU FOR THIS RESPONSE. DAVIES SPOKE TO MATTHEWS TODAY. MATTHEWS HAS A FORTNIGHTLY 25 MINUTE PROGRAMME WHICH IS BROADCAST IN ENGLISH TWICE ON A FRIDAY NIGHT AND THEN ON SATURDAY IT IS BROADCAST WORLDWIDE. IT IS NETWORKED TO JAPAN (NHK), THE USA (C-SPAN) AND IS BROADCAST IN EUROPE, AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AMERICA AND ASIA. HE SAID IT HAD A POTENTIAL AUDIENCE OF SOME 40 MILLION PEOPLE. WITHIN CHINA IT IS BROADCAST IN ENGLISH IN ALL MAJOR CITIES. TRANSMISSIONS ARE AT 2115 AND 2215 (LOCAL).

2 =

MATTHEWS USUALLY BALANCES THE PROGRAMMES BETWEEN OFFICIAL AND COMMERCIAL VIEWS. ON HONG KONG, HE WOULD WISH TO COVER BOTH HONG KONG'S TRADE WITH CHINA AND ALSO HONG KONG AS AN INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL CENTRE. HE THINKS THAT TWO AND A HALF - THREE DAYS IN HONG KONG WOULD ALLOW HIM TO PUT THE PROGRAMME TOGETHER. HE WOULD ALSO SPEND A DAY OR TWO LONGER TIF NECESSARY AT OWN EXPENSE) TO TAKE CARE OF PRIVATE BUSINESS. IF YOU CAN SPONSOR HIM, HE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR HELP IN INTERVIEWING OFFICIALS (''AS SENIOR AS POSSIBLE'') CONCERNED WITH TRADE. HE WILL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO MAKE HIS OWN ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR BUT WOULD WELCOME ANY HELP YOU COULD GIVE. IT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR HIM TO TALK TO EG, A BANK, TRADING COMPANIES (BOTH LOCAL AND MULTINATIONAL) AND POTENTIAL ADVERTISERS ON THE PROGRAMME.

3=

DAVIES EMPHASISED THAT YOU WERE NOT COMMITTED TO HELPING. MATTHEWS QUITE UNDERSTOOD. HE NOW SAYS THAT HE IS LIKELY TO BE IN HAINAN FORM 6 OR 7 DECEMBER FOR 4 DAYS. HE WOULD THEN BE FREE TO GO TO HONG KONG FROM THERE. (HE HAS DECIDED HE DOES NOT NEED AN ASSISTANT.) IF THAT TIMING DID NOT SUIT, HE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO GO FROM PEKING IN JANUARY 1990.

4. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SPONSORING MATTHEWS, DAVIES WOULD BE

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HAPPY TO ACT AS A LINK.

DONALD

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18

MINIMAL

HKD

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