ENG-1989 — Page 339

COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

keep listeners abreast of important news and events. The Director of Broadcasting is RTHK's editor-in-chief.

RTHK maintained its international links with overseas radio stations. Apart from the British Broadcasting Corporation, the Chinese Programme Service co-produced pro- grammes with radio stations in Singapore, Australia and North America. In this way, Chinese communities abroad were kept informed of the developments in Hong Kong and vice versa.

RTHK now broadcasts 1051 hours a week. Its main Chinese and English services, Radio 1 and Radio 3 respectively, operate 24 hours a day. The station has developed an individual identity for each of its channels.

Radio 1 provides news bulletins and summaries on a half-hourly basis between 6 am and 11 pm and hourly throughout the night. It broadcasts regular traffic reports and financial reports during the day. During the year, the channel joined hands with World Vision to launch the Heart to Heart mission which resulted in 2 000 sponsors adopting children all over the world.

Radio 2 has acquired popularity primarily as a music channel for young people. It also broadcasts financial news and its magazine programmes have been strengthened to attract a more diverse audience. The channel helped promote major summer youth activities through its Solar Project and also organised the 12th Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs pre- sentation to promote local music talents.

Radio 3, RTHK's news and information channel for the English-speaking community, continued to cover both local and overseas events.

Intensive coverage was given on the pro-democracy demonstrations in China. Other key events included the Foreign Affairs Committee hearings, the debates on Hong Kong in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the campaign for the right of abode for Hong Kong citizens in the United Kingdom, the continuing influx of Vietnamese boat people, the Basic Law and the movement towards democracy.

Radio 4, the bilingual channel for fine music and the arts, covered major music and arts events throughout the year. In co-operation with other cultural organisations, the Academy for the Performing Arts and the Urban and the Regional Councils, the channel broadcast concerts and recitals at various venues throughout the territory, while Artists in Residence concerts were also held in the RTHK studios.

Radio 5, which relayed the BBC World Service from 6 am to 7 am and again from 5 pm to 2.30 am daily, extended its broadcasting time from 5 pm to 6 am. Outside these hours, it broadcast minority interest and cultural programmes in Chinese including Chinese opera, provincial music and programmes in Putonghua. Plans went ahead for the two services sharing Radio 5 to be divided into two seperate Channels (Radio 5 and Radio 6) at the beginning of the New Year.

The new Radio 6 broadcasts minority interest and cultural programmes in Chinese, including Chinese opera, provincial music and programmes in Putonghua. Programmes for the elderly and those in Chinese classics and arts were also produced.

Radio 7 is the new Traffic Channel established on November 27, 1989. This bilingual channel gives the most up-to-date traffic information, weather reports and news about emergency situations which may affect daily life in Hong Kong.

Commercial Radio

Commercial Radio was awarded a new licence to continue its commercial broadcasting operation for another 12 years. After a long wait, the changeover to FM broadcasting for

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