ENG-1987 — Page 297

COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

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resumed to cater for the needs of its audience. During the year, the channel increased its emphasis on discussions and interviews in the programmes. Apart from the use of stories, comedies and quiz programmes from overseas and those produced locally, the coverage of events with specially arranged outside broadcasts continued. The channel also relayed the weekly meetings of the Legislative Council.

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 1987, the channel organised the '1988 Hong Kong Young Instrumentalists of the Year Competition', the final of which will take place in January 1988. Through co-operation with other cultural organisations, the Academy of Performing Arts, the Urban Council, the Regional Council and government departments, it was possible for the channel to maintain its broadcasts of concerts and recitals at various venues throughout the territory. Concerts were also held in the RTHK studios, featuring local and overseas artists and ensembles.

二二

Radio 5 relays the BBC's World Service from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and again 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. Programmes for the elderly and programmes on Chinese classics and the arts were further strengthened in the year.

Work on the planning and engineering of the extension of the VHF Radio Service in Hong Kong has continued. Completion of the project, which will provide territory-wide coverage for seven services, is expected in 1989.

Commercial Radio operates two Cantonese and one English language channels in the AM wave band with simulcasts on FM to some areas in the New Territories and the north side of Hong Kong Island where AM reception is less satisfactory.

Although basically an entertainment station, Commercial Radio continued to take part in fund raising for charity as part of its public service commitment. The station was involved in several large-scale live stage presentations organised for charity purposes. Of particular interest were the ‘All Star 888', ‘Pop Star '87' and 'Pop Song Awards Concert' organised in aid of victims of China's Heilongjiang disaster, Hong Kong's elderly and a private hospital. The annual 'Superstars Charity Basketball Match' helped raise funds for the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund.

The British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) is part of the radio division of the Services Sound and Vision Corporation, a world-wide organisation providing entertain- ment, information and training films, video, television and radio services for the British Forces, under contract to the Ministry of Defence.

BFBS provides two radio services designed for the particular needs of the Gurkha and British Forces serving in Hong Kong, Brunei and Nepal.

Nepali programmes, broadcast for more than 80 hours each week, cater for the interests of the Brigade of Gurkhas, providing music and features reflecting daily life in Nepal, Nepalese and world news, news reviews, quiz shows and audience participation phone-in programmes.

The English-language service broadcasts 24 hours a day. The breakfast and lunchtime shows originate from the BFBS Studio in HMS Tamar, with the rest of broadcasting coming from the main studio complex in Sek Kong in the New Territories.

The BFBS satellite news service has enabled BFBS to broadcast BBC Radio 4's "The World This Weekend' and BBC Radio 2's 'Sport on Two' live to their listeners in Hong Kong, as well as hourly bulletins of home and international news and sport.