Radio_Hong_Kong_1955-1956 — Page 17

Festivals of the Arts

37. Two Arts Festivals in the one year meant that the resources of the service had to be fully mobilized to cope with the many extra programmes involved. Every aspect of the Festival was reported, relayed, recorded or given coverage in some way. On both occasions more than a dozen special programmes were produced. As its own contribution to the first festival the Chinese Service produced a radio adaptation of "The Master Builder" by Henrik Ibsen in Cantonese, and for the Second Festival the radio play "Displaced Persons" by Ursula Bloom.

The Teaching of English

38. It has long since been proved by the B.B.C. that radio can be a highly successful medium for the teaching of English as a foreign Language. In Hong Kong there had been a growing demand among Chinese listeners for a series of broadcast English lessons; but the technique involved is highly specialized, and lacking the necessary resources locally, Radio Hong Kong decided to wait until a suitable series, prepared by experts, became avail- able from the B.B.C. "English by Radio" Division.

The B.B.C. had been working on the problem for some time and in November 1955 was at last able to announce that the first lessons in two series, titled "English for You", one with Cantonese instruction and one with Kuoyu, were on their way out to Hong Kong. Broadcasting of both series began at the end of January at the rate of two lessons a week; each lesson being given a repeat broadcast for the benefit of listeners who might miss the first transmission.

Several Chinese daily

Chinese daily newspapers and a weekly magazine co-operated by publishing the English texts that accompany each lesson. There was an immediate and favourable response to the lessons among listeners, and the excellence of the construction and presentation of the series was endorsed by the Education Department.

Sport

39. Association Football remains the undisputed king of sports in Hong Kong, so it is scarcely surprising that the

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