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PRESS, BROADCASTING AND CINEMA

Hong Kong is the base of South-East Asian operations for many international magazines, newspapers, radio and television networks. International news agencies represented include the Associated Press of America, Agence France Presse, Kyodo, Reuters and United Press International. Hong Kong is also rapidly growing in importance internationally as a major magazine, book and commercial printing

centre.

TELEVISION

Hong Kong became the first Colony within the Commonwealth to benefit from a television service when, in December 1957, Rediffusion (Hong Kong) Ltd pioneered a television relay service. This company started operations on one channel which produced 28 hours of television a week to approximately 63,000 viewers.

In November 1967 a second television service came into operation. This was the wireless television service operated by Hong Kong Television Broadcasts Ltd (HK-TVB). Television viewership has in- creased from 63,000 in 1957 to well over two million people by the end of 1970. Viewers may now watch some 310 hours of television a week-150 hours a week being transmitted by Rediffu- sion and 160 hours a week being transmitted by HK-TVB-

RTV operates, under an exclusive franchise, the wired relay television service in Hong Kong and relays a 405-line, two channel service, one in English and one in Chinese. The company's multi- studio centre at Television House, Broadcast Drive, Kowloon, is a modern production complex equipped with 19 studios, nine television studios, eight audio studios and two dubbing suites.

Hong Kong Television Broadcasts Ltd, operating under an exclu- sive licence for their first five years, broadcasts two wireless channels, the Jade (Chinese) and the Pearl (English). The company employs the UHF, 625 line PAL colour system with its main transmitters on Temple Hill. There are now nine auxiliary transmitters throughout ` the Colony and the company's plans envisage complete coverage of urban and rural Hong Kong by the end of 1970.

SOUND BROADCASTING

Hong Kong is served by three broadcasting organisations produc- ing between them eight sound channels (two English, one background

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