ENG-1979 — Page 233

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The Media

HONG KONG has a flourishing free press with 114 newspapers and 326 periodicals catering to a high readership market. Television has developed as the most popular entertainment medium with an estimated daily audience of three million. Two major radio stations with eight channels in Chinese and English broadcast almost 1,000 hours of programmes each week. There are 80 cinemas which sold approximately 65 million tickets during 1979.

The Press

Hong Kong has the second highest newspaper readership in Asia. Some 350 copies of newspapers are printed for every 1,000 people in Hong Kong. Only Japan exceeds this figure with 490 copies to every 1,000 people. The world average is 102 to every 1,000 people. Five English language and 46 Chinese language newspapers are published each day. These are a portion of the 114 newspapers and 326 periodicals registered with the Registrar of Newspapers. The combined circulation of the daily English language papers is estimated at 135,000 while four of the Chinese dailies sell more than 100,000 copies each. Generally the price of newspapers is below $1.

Hong Kong is the base of Southeast Asian operations for many international radio and television networks, newspapers, magazines and news agencies. International news agencies represented include United Press International, Associated Press, Agence France Presse, and Reuters.

Several organisations represent and cater for people working in the news media in Hong Kong. The Foreign Correspondents' Club, Hong Kong, comprises correspondent, jour- nalist and associate members. Its professional activities include lectures, news conferences, briefings and film shows. Club premises contain bar, restaurant, library and games facilities. Visiting correspondents and journalists may use typewriters and office space.

The Hong Kong Press Club, located in Wan Chai, provides a variety of facilities for journalists. The office of the Hong Kong Journalists' Association (HKJA) is based at the Hong Kong Press Club. The HKJA seeks to raise professional standards by pressing for better training, pay and conditions in journalism, as well as counselling its members in the event of disputes with employers.

Chinese and English language newspapers are represented by The Newspaper Society of Hong Kong, which has 25 members and four associate members. It is empowered to act in matters affecting the interests of local newspapers, the society or its members.

There is also a Hong Kong office of the Press Foundation of Asia whose objective is to help develop and expand the press in Asia. The PFA is an association of Asian publishers and editors representing some 300 publications. It co-ordinates the functions of seven national press institutes from New Delhi to Korea.