Radio_Hong_Kong_1961-1962 — Page 12

concerts to packed houses and for those who could not obtain seats Radio Hong Kong broadcast the performances in full. A more fitting way of introducing the new City Hall to the public could hardly have been found.

'The Government and the People'

13. During the year Radio Hong Kong undertook one of the biggest and most important series of talks in its history. It was called 'The Government and the People'. Each week different Heads of Departments were invited to describe informally the work they and their officers were doing to meet the ever changing needs of the Colony. They explained how present problems were being tackled and indicated their plans for future development. The series was introduced on 25th April by the Honourable Colonial Secretary, Mr. C. B. BURGESS, C.M.G., O.B.E., and thereafter the Directors of Education, Medical and Health Services, Urban Services, the Commissioners of Police and Resettlement and many other departmental heads broadcast talks in the series. The programmes were broadcast in Cantonese on the same evening, and both versions received wide attention from the press. In all, the work and problems of fifteen departments were dealt with, and public reaction indicated that such broadcasts are well worth-while. Full details of 'The Government and the People' can be found in Appendix E.

14. "The Government and the People' is now being prepared for publication and distribution to many sections of the community including schools, colleges, government servants and the public generally. Plans are in hand to organize a second series to cover those aspects of Government activities which were not dealt with in the first edition.

General

PART III

CHINESE PROGRAMME SERVICE

15. Programmes in Chinese are broadcast by Radio Hong Kong for seventeen hours each day. The main dialect used is Cantonese, which is the 'mother tongue' of the majority of listeners. However, there are also important groups who speak other Chinese dialects, and programmes in Kuoyu, Swatow, and Hakka are also broadcast regularly, with particular emphasis on news broadcasts and announcements of general interest.

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