Radio_Hong_Kong_1974-1975 — Page 5

INTRODUCTION

The year was one of consolidation with emphasis laid on training in the News and Public Affairs field and in the Chinese and English Radio Services, but in the Television Service it was a year of great development.

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New ideas to attract and hold audiences were developed in all four Services and audiences surveys were devised to test reactions with good results in the field of programme planning.

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The staff of Radio Hong Kong were particularly encouraged by the greater use made of both radio and television programmes by Government officers. This was due mainly to increased confidence in the objectivity of Radio Hong Kong and a realisation that objectivity was essential to the credibility of RHK as the Government station. In part also, the increased co-operation of Government officers was due to the fact that contacts between RHK and other Government departments increased during the year which led to greater understanding of each other's problems.

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Despite chronic staff shortages all four Services managed to increase their output thanks to long hours of hard work put in by staff and contributors.

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THE YEAR IN TELEVISION

Despite a year which began with budget cutbacks, 1974-75 was the biggest year of development for the Television Unit. The new public affairs studio debate programme "Needlepoint" grew into the most significant public affairs programme in Hong Kong, achieving a mass audience for major controversial issues. The social message based drama series "Below Lion Rock" achieved the distinction of getting into top audience ratings against intense commercial competition. New programmes included "Junior Police Call" which recruited one hundred thousand children into the JPC Club and "More To Know", a lively and informative mini documentary for young people. March a new live studio programme was started on RTV's Chinese channel. The programme called "Phone Us" gave members of the public an opportunity to telephone Unofficial Members of Legislative Council to discuss their problems or express a view on specific issues.

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In

The biggest development lay in the move into colour. Although RHKTV does not own its own colour equipment, the success of the programmes has forced RHKTV to provide colour in order

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