ENG-1980 — Page 246

THE MEDIA

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The station operates one MF transmitter, which carries Nepali programmes, and two FM transmitters, which carry English. Nepali programmes include daily news from Nepal, reports from scattered elements of the Brigade of Gurkhas, and information programmes produced by various ministries and agencies of the government of Nepal. Quiz shows are especially popular with the Gurkhas, and the station mounts three series a year, one of them for the children of Gurkha soldiers. Major sporting fixtures are also covered by means of the station's well-equipped outside broadcasts vehicle.

English programmes include a wide variety of programmes especially produced by BFBS London for services' audiences worldwide. The station in Hong Kong regularly links up with a number of radio stations in the UK for request programmes. During 1980, the total number of broadcasting hours was gradually increased until, by the end of the year, the station was operating for about 150 hours a week, divided roughly into three- fifths Nepali and two-fifths English. The operational staff consists principally of Gurkha soldiers, with a small number of professional programme and engineering staff, and a number of freelance staff.

Television

Television continues to be Hong Kong's principal leisure activity. Over 90 per cent of households possess at least one television set. Two enfranchised commercial broadcasting stations - Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) and Rediffusion Television Limited (RTV) - and the government-owned Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), are the three main programme-producing bodies in Hong Kong. They produce an average of 76 hours of programming each week.

Programme trends changed considerably during the year, as the lavishly-costumed kung-fu epics that once reigned supreme were replaced by drama serials cashing in on the nostalgia wave. Hong Kong in the 1940s and 1950s provided a backdrop for long, serialised dramas from both commercial stations and considerable pains were taken to evoke a nostalgic mood. Mini-series also were extremely popular, and featured a diversity of themes ranging from suspense-detective to nostalgic comedy.

Following the popularity of the documentary film on China The Rising Sun, RTV produced its own version, a series of 50 eight-minute programmes hosted by Tina Ti. After the international boycott of the Olympic Games both commercial stations cancelled their heavily-promoted coverage of the events.

RTHK produces 7 hours of programming per week, and its drama and documentary programmes rank among the Top 10 regulars. Heritage, an historical production, enjoyed both artistic and popular acclaim. Commonsense and Police One-Five, both Top 10 fixtures, went into their 4th and 5th years, respectively, while the children's programme Banana Boat went into its second year. One new segment by RTHK was the open discussion pro- gramme City Forum, which even in its off prime-time slot still managed to capture more than 150,000 viewers.

In addition to its major function as a source of entertainment, good use is also made of television in the field of education. The government Educational Television Service (ETV), which utilises the transmission facilities of the commercial stations for eight hours each school day, is watched by 600,000 children in both primary and secondary schools. The programmes are devised and written by specialists on the Education Department staff, who provide schools with associated programme literature and follow-up work. The pro- grammes are produced in colour by the government station, Radio Television Hong Kong, using film animation, drama and documentary techniques.