Radio_Hong_Kong_1955-1956 — Page 5

Introduction

1.

PART I GENERAL

Radio Hong Kong is a public broadcasting service designed to provide the people of Hong Kong with entertain- ment and information in the Chinese and English Languages. Programmes are broadcast daily in early morning, noon and evening sessions, with extended hours at week-ends and on public holidays. Each of the language services is carried on its own medium-wave transmitter, and the Chinese service is reinforced with a short-wave transmission. Programmes are planned primarily for majority appeal, but care is taken to ensure that the cultural and intellectual ingredient is fully represented.

Radio Hong Kong's second year of operation as an independant department was marked by a number of significant developments. Most important of these was the Legislative Council debate on Government's future broadcasting policy. Other notable features were a healthy rise in listener potential and an increased versatility in programme-working.

Revised Policy

2. It had become increasingly clear in recent years that a steady improvement in the services provided by Radio Hong Kong could only be maintained by spending considerably larger sums of public money than had hitherto been the policy. It was therefore decided that the time had come for the whole policy of future broadcasting in the Colony to be reviewed. Accord- ingly a statement was prepared in the Colonial Secretariat setting out the history of broadcasting in the Colony, examining the various possible alternatives for future operation, and drawing certain definite conclusions.

This statement was laid on the Table of the Legislative Council on 11th January, 1956 as Sessional Paper No. 2 of 1956 "The Future of Broadcasting in Hong Kong."

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