ENG-1962 — Page 343

PUBLICATIONS, BROADCASTING AND FILMS

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between 7 a.m. and midnight. Two networks-Gold and Silver- are in Chinese, while the Blue network carries English programmes. Sixteen per cent of Rediffusion programmes are commercially sponsored. The Chinese programmes offer music, news, drama, talks, sports commentaries, women's features, children's shows, comedy, story-telling and theatre relays in Cantonese, Kuoyu, Swatow, Hakka, Shanghai and other dialects. The English service gives continuous daily broadcasts of musical entertainment, plays, studio shows, news, BBC and other relays, sports events, stock market news, and features for women and children. Rediffusion employs 638 local staff, of whom 98 per cent are Chinese, in addition to a great many musicians, soloists, story-tellers and dramatic artistes. Rental for a loudspeaker is $10 a month, and subscribers have a choice of the three programmes, which together involve the origination of 51 hours of programmes each day. Additional loudspeakers in the same residence cost $5 a month.

Television. Rediffusion (Hong Kong) Ltd opened the first televi- sion service in any British Colony in May 1957, and it has been growing ever since. It is a closed-circuit network and at the end of 1962 there were almost 17,000 subscribers. Rediffusion House has two well-equipped studios each of about 2,000 square feet, and one of 200 square feet, while the equipment includes nine vidicon camera chains. Three of these are the latest Marconi studio types and one is fitted with the modern Taylor-Hobson vidicon zoom lens. The station uses the latest telecine-camera chains, with double channels for both 16 mm and 35 mm films, and has a full array of studio and control equipment. Most Chinese films carry English sub-titles and vice versa.

Programmes, produced in air-conditioned studios, include many 'live' presentations. Education and quiz programmes form an im- portant part of this side of the station's activities but Cantonese opera, popular music programmes, variety acts, children's features and topical interviews are also included in the schedule. Popular filmed television shows are imported from Britain and America. Rediffusion television programmes give about 50 hours of enter- tainment weekly; some are commercially sponsored. During that part of the day when the television service is not transmitting, the sound channel is used to broadcast from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. A special programme for members of the Colony's