Radio_Hong_Kong_1960-1961 — Page 10

Service is broadcast on 860 Kc/s in the Medium Wave Band and 91.0 Megacycles FM. The Chinese Service is broadcast on 640 Kc/s and 94.0 Megacycles FM. There is also a short wave service of the Chinese programmes on 3,940 Kc/s (76.14 metres) which is widely used by the Hong Kong fishing fleets.

6. Radio licences continued to increase and at the end of the year totalled 125,319. This is 20,631 more than the total at the end of last year and represents on increase of 19.7%. The cost of a broadcast receiving licence is $20 per annum.

7. Accommodation in the studio centre at Mercury House has con- tinued to be a serious problem. The extensive alterations which were carried out last year improved the position considerably, but further attention will have to be given to finding a more permanent solution.

8. Many new programmes were introduced during the year, and higher technical and production standards were sought. The Department continued to encounter difficulties, however, in attracting suitable appli- cants to the staff. It is felt that this has hampered progress in achieving improved standards of local production. At the close of the year two long outstanding vacancies for Programme Assistants remained unfilled.

PART II

ENGLISH PROGRAMME SERVICE

GENERAL

9. In June 1960 it became possible for the English Service to reach a much wider audience and at the same offer listeners all day broad- casting throughout the week. The increased hours offered the oppor- tunity to widen the scope of programmes and to provide a balanced service throughout the 17 hours of each day's transmissions. There has been criticism from listeners that some of the best English Service broadcasts are made during the daytime when the majority of people are at work. In point of fact these broadcasts are, almost without exception, repeats of more serious programmes which have already been scheduled on previous occasions in the evening time. It is felt to be important that educational material should be offered during the day and that evening broadcasts should assume a more relaxing atmos- phere. This general policy in programme planning seems to have met with reasonable commendation. Fuller details will become available when our Audience Research Projects are more fully analysed. A more

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