ENG-1965 — Page 252

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PRESS, BROADCASTING AND CINEMA

Rediffusion. Wired sound and television are supplied by Rediffu- sion (Hong Kong) Limited, a locally controlled subsidiary of the organization which operates in Britain and in many other Com- monwealth countries. The wired sound service is distributed to practically all the urban areas and to many outlying villages in the islands and New Territories by more than 1,000 miles of main trunk lines and another 3,000 miles of installation cabling. At the end of the year there were 35,000 subscribers to these sound services. Rental for a speaker is $10 a month, giving a choice of four programmes. The three Chinese programmes broadcast a total of 45 hours daily. The silver and gold networks each broad- casts 17 hours daily offering news, music and other programmes in a variety of dialects. The third Chinese programme broadcasts from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and provides a comprehensive school programme in Cantonese. The English service broadcasts an all- music programme, with news bulletins in the morning and in the middle of the day. The service operates from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Just under a quarter of Rediffusion sound programmes are commercially sponsored.

-Hong Kong was the first British Colony to operate a television service and the Rediffusion network now has two channels. By the end of 1965 there were 50,250 subscribers. The television services carry advertising, and a number of shows on both channels are commercially sponsored. The two channels provide some 75 hours of viewing each week. While both channels carry popular filmed shows from Britain and America, the Chinese programme in particular includes many live shows from fully equipped studios at Rediffusion House. In television, as in radio, outside broadcasts are playing their part in creating among viewers a greater under- standing of current events in the Colony and almost every day Rediffusion's cameras are out covering local news. The rental fee for a 23-inch television set is $50 a month and for a 19-inch set $45 a month inclusive of the receiver, programmes, licence and maintenance. These fees are reduced annually. Subscribers with their own receivers pay $25 a month to cover the programme fee, licence and maintenance. The network now reaches out from the urban areas to Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan, Clear Water Bay and Sha Tin in the New Territories, and further developments are under way.