Radio_Hong_Kong_1970-1971 — Page 23

59. On the personnel side, it became evident that public affairs programmes would require more staff than had been originally proposed, and this expansion was also accepted. Plans are therefore in hand to recruit an additional six Programme Officers, four Assistant Programme Officers, four Studio Assistants and a number of opera- tives in secretarial, clerical, foreman and artisans grades. In addition, two Programme Officers from the Chinese Programme Service (Radio) have been transferred to television and have been sent on training courses to the BBC in London. It has also been accepted that the four Film Unit personnel, at present on the establishment of the Information Services Department, should be transferred to the estab- lishment of Radio Hong Kong.

Programme Aims and Policy

60. With more information available as to the practical potentiali- ties and limitations of the television section, it became possible to define more clearly what the objectives of Government's public affairs television ought to be. These may be summed up by saying

(a) that Government programmes are to be complementary to the

output of the commercial companies;

(b) that programmes will be planned to convey specific messages and items of information in a manner which will be objec- tive; and

(c) that programmes should be of a high quality, attractive to viewers.

Programme Content

61. Although it has been difficult to maintain the planned schedule with regard to the installation of equipment and the recruitment of staff, it has nevertheless been possible to make a start with programme output-though in a small way-five months before the projected date. The present skeleton staff-some transferred from radio, some on contract-have made several short films which have been transmitted alongside 'commercials' on all four channels of RTV and HKTB. The Census was the first subject to be tackled and work is now pro- ceeding on the making of films to promote such things as road safety, public health, anti-litter, swimming safety, the Government Lotteries etc. The film unit also took responsibility for His Excellency the Governor's Lunar New Year speech, which was shot in colour. Other

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