ENG-1985 — Page 288

COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

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Radio 1 of the Chinese service provides news bulletins and summaries on a half-hourly basis between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. and hourly throughout the night. It also broadcasts financial reports every hour during the day, in addition to traffic reports during rush hours. During the year, major political and social events in the territory were covered extensively, and more civic education programmes were launched.

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Radio 2 has acquired popularity as a channel mainly for young people. Although popular music is the salient feature, more magazine programmes have been introduced. During the year, the channel continued to strengthen its early morning and late evening magazines in an attempt to attract an even broader audience. The channel adopts a lively approach to community service, and helped promote major publicity campaigns concern- ing International Youth Year activities, anti-narcotics, industrial safety and voluntary social services. A Youth Scholarship Scheme was also launched.

Radio 3, the station's news and information channel for the English-speaking population, increased its news coverage during the year with the introduction of summaries at 12.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. and 'Tonight at Six', a half-hour news magazine highlighting the events of the day. Speech content of the channel was further strengthened and special programmes to mark the 40th anniversary of the end of World War II were produced. In addition to the regular use of stories, comedies and quiz programmes from overseas and those produced locally, more outside broadcasts were made.

Radio 4, the channel for fine music and the arts, covered major music and arts events throughout the year. The bilingual presentation of these programmes was welcomed by listeners. In June, the channel announced plans for the 1986 Young Player of Chinese Instruments Competition, an event sponsored by a major bank. Through co-operation with other cultural organisations, the Urban Council and government departments, it was possible for the channel to broadcast an increased number of concerts and recitals from venues throughout the territory. A further series of concerts was given in the studios of RTHK, featuring local and overseas artists and ensembles.

Radio 5 relays the BBC World Service from 5 p.m. to 2.30 a.m. daily. Outside these hours, it provides an additional FM service of Chinese programmes such as Cantonese opera, provincial music as well as programmes in Putonghua and the Chiu Chow dialect. During the year, it further strengthened its educational and cultural programmes content, with the introduction of a new series on stage drama.

On the engineering side, the government gave approval during the year to rationalise and extend coverage of the VHF radio network. A scheme to provide territory-wide VHF coverage for seven of the existing 10 radio channels was agreed. Detailed planning for implementation is in hand and completion of the project is anticipated in 1987.

An interim scheme to duplicate RTHK's existing Radio 1 AM service into VHF and at the same time extend coverage of both this new service and RTHK's Radio 2 to the New Territories was also approved. The new services were put into operation towards the end of the year.

Commercial Radio operates two Cantonese services and one English-language service, primarily in the AM wave band but simulcasting both Chinese services on FM to Sha Tin, Sheung Shui, Tai Po and Fanling in the New Territories and to the north side of Hong Kong Island. The Chinese services operate for 24 hours a day and the English service for 19. The station has strengthened its appeal as an advertising medium, and its efforts in this field were rewarded by a number of awards in the annual awards presentation held by advertising agencies. The subjects of the award-winning commercials ranged from scuba diving to travel, the latter reflecting the station's growing involvement in promoting travel, especially to off the beaten track destinations such as Kashmir and Nepal.