ENG-1960 — Page 311

PUBLICATIONS, BROADCASTING AND FILMS

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Two more studios have also been completed recently in the Central Government Offices which can be used either as talks studios or for the origination of news bulletins.

COMMERCIAL RADIO

Commercial Radio, in its short history of sixteen months, has been sending out programmes over its English and Chinese trans- missions (1530 K/cs and 1050 K/cs on the medium wave band respectively) for seventeen hours daily. The Station transmits through two 1 kW transmitters with a 175 foot vertical antenna by the use of a diplexer. There are 91 members of its full-time staff.

The station's whole revenue comes from advertisements. Com- mercial time on the air is sold by the hour, half-hour, or quarter- hour; and 'spot' announcements are also sold lasting from 10 seconds to 60 seconds. Airtime rates for the Chinese transmission vary from $962.50 per hour for 'A' time, to $80.00 for one 10 second 'spot' announcement. For the English transmission, the rates run between $275.00 per hour, for 'A' time, and $10.00 for a 10 second 'spot'. There are 233 sponsors who sell 377 products, from toothpaste to refrigerators.

English Programme Department: The English Programme has a male English director with five assistants. There are thirty other full-time staff, and the programme has two artists contracted ex- clusively to the Station. Part-time duty announcers are employed and members of the western community are employed as con- tributors. Early in the year the Station started its first daily news and interview programme. A highlight was a complete re-broadcast of Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery's press conference before his visit to the mainland. Visiting celebrities, businessmen and tourists were interviewed on this programme as well as people of local interest. Football and boxing commentaries were given and there is a weekly sporting feature.

Transcribed plays come from Australia, America and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Most of the programmes are recorded and they are mainly arranged by members of the staff. Classical music is popular in Hong Kong and more than 10% of the day's programmes is devoted to it. A local orchestra of 25