ENG-1976 — Page 232

168

THE MEDIA

Community participation was a feature of the year's broadcasting, particularly in the Chinese channels' first amateur singing contest and in the radio drama competi- tion and the children's story telling competition. The many outside broadcasts in- cluded a number of the outdoor performances given by RTHK's opera and drama groups, which visited more than 100 centres to present live entertainment. In pro- moting the arts, the station began a series of programmes which provide young student musicians with the opportunity to perform and to have their works performed on air.

Commercial Radio broadcasts on three sound channels-two Chinese and one English. The role of the English service as a communications medium was emphasised in September when the popular open-line programmes were increased from three to five mornings a week. A wide variety of people from many walks of life are inter- viewed live on Saturday mornings. During the year the station introduced a new nightly programme specially for tourists. For two hours starting at 11 pm, it covers items of interest about Hong Kong, places to visit, and things to do. From 11.30 to midnight the programme is in Japanese for the benefit of Japanese visitors.

Outside broadcasts on sporting events in Hong Kong and overseas were featured throughout the year, those from overseas including the British Open Golf Champion- ships. Events covered locally included the opening ceremony of the Ready-to-Wear Festival and the opening of the fourth Hong Kong Arts Festival.

In the Chinese programme department, the second channel now broadcasts news every-30 minutes to cater for the increasing interest in news and current affairs. Both Chinese channels have increased their coverage of sports and finance, while dramas are being phased out to make way for more youth oriented programmes. The department is heavily involved in educational and other public service pro- grammes, and in 1976 it raised more than $300,000 to help some 3,000 students to buy textbooks.

Government Information Services

The Government Information Services forms a major link between the govern- ment, the people of Hong Kong and the rest of the world. The department is organised in three main divisions-news, publicity, and public relations-with certain services common to all three.

The news division is responsible for channelling to the media all government information, varying from statements on government policy and action to routine notices and weather reports. It is directly linked with all major groups of the media by its teleprinter and facsimile networks, which operate round the clock every day. As news in English is transmitted over the teleprinter network, news in Chinese is sent simultaneously over the facsimile transmitter.

The editorial desk is the hub around which the division's operation revolves. It produces a daily information bulletin in both Chinese and English for distribution to more than 120 newspapers, news agencies, and television and radio stations. This supplements the teleprinter and facsimile services.