TNAG-2278-FCO40-3278-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Radio-Television-Hong-Kong-Board-of-Gove-1991 — Page 64

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2.3.5

In addition, the TV Division should introduce more sophisticated production scheduling systems to smooth out and increase the utilisation of resources. The lack of coordinated scheduling today leads to uneven utilisation of camera crews, studios, and so on, with underutilisation during parts of the year and expensive subcontracting during peak periods. A rough master production schedule should be drawn up at the start of the year, then refined on a quarterly basis as needs become clearer. In addition, more disciplined procedures for reserving and assigning camera crews, studios, and other production Bervices should be introduced.

$3.6

Finally, the division needs to enhance the current annual planning process by preparing a more formal, outward-looking business plan that reviews audience needs and

he impact of established programmes, and evaluates cptions on the mix of programmes to Beproduced, taking into account the cost/impact of different programme types. For Example, divisional management might want to put more emphasis on selected programming strands or on commissioned work.

3.7 In the Radio Division, comparable systems are needed, but they should be tailored the requirements of the medium. Radio Division management should prepare an annual business plan defining channel priorities and identities, and positioning versus commercial badcasters. Individual channel plans should specify the flow of programming and the Balance of public broadcasting messages and broader-based communication to increase audience reach. At the programme level, a formal proposal (objectives, rationale, content, impact, and resources) should be developed for all new and continuing shows, and a budgeting and control process, structured similarly to that in the TV Division, should be introduced. This will be quite simple given the relatively limited costs involved in radio programming and production.

$3.8

RTHKC also needs to put in place a range of basic finance and administrative

· systems, including personnel processes. These systems, together with programme budgeting and cost-tracking methods described above, will drive RTHKC's hardware requirements. At this stage, the tearn believes RTHKC will be able to develop adequate systems based on a mini-computer or distributed processing configuration. Additional productivity enhancement opportunities exist through systems applications, such as: computerised access to news services for Chinese newsroom, and computerised access and control of bar coded video and audio library materials.

McKinsey & Company, Ing.

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