Page 22 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

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In the broadcasting field we are beginning to see results from
our five years of work and contact with the government broadcasting
station, Radio Hong Kong. Acquaintance with the professional
announcers - who are members of the overseas press club - has resulted
in their recommending our studios to overseas pressmen who sometimes
need special studio facilities.

Local churches involved in the weekly broadcasting of church
services are regularly calling on us to help them produce their
broadcasting service and to plan its preparation. This has involved
us also in pre-broadcast rehearsals with choirs and the Radio Hong Kong
technical staff. Actually, our office is often used as the producer
or organizer for the religious broadcasts, since Radio Hong Kong does
not have a full-time staff person to oversee religious programs. In
addition, the local committee - Advisory Committee for Religious
Broadcasting and TV (a semi-government group) - increasingly turns
to our studios for preparing recordings for the programs broadcast
over Radio Hong Kong, both Chinese and English. We have been averaging
about one Chinese broadcast a week and one English broadcast a week -
recorded in our studios.

On the government radio station, for the English Advisory Committee,
the AVEC director has been researching, writing, and producing a
weekly five-minute news program "Good News”. This has been made an
on-going program for the past three years.

Three Areas of Development

The three areas of development which we intend to push in 1969 and
on are: Cantonese dubbing on films, workshops in use of visual aids,
and service contracts for the electronic equipment of the churches,
schools, and organizations related to the committee.

Dubbing of films has been an ongoing part of the AVEC program.
Currently we give the Student Christian Center’s drama club a small
honorarium for their work... HK$250 per title. An additional HK$150
is needed for technicians overtime, translation and editing each film.

Workshops have resulted in more individuals knowing of the existence
of our service centre and an interest in the use of visual aids. We
conducted seven workshops - 9 sessions - which we initiated. Two more
workshops were requested, one by the YMCA Training Institute and one
the YWCA. A total of 283 people took part.

Servicing Amplifiers and Projectors is partly in self-defence. It
will give us an income, but at the same time protect our films on the
projectors. We are beginning with a limited number of contracts first
so as not to over load the technical staff. Budget involvement will
be in terms of time from two staff members plus office staff in
promotion and records of the contracts.

Creative Opportunities

Locally Produced Films: There is a great need felt for locally produced
films to undergird the Christian education program of our church related
high schools. We are submitting a proposed budget on this. This will
be of such size that the whole service work would hgve to be terminated
to even begin to make production possible or thinkable.

Television: If we were ready and staffed, we might begin to produce
video-tape-spots for placement. With the co-operation of the Baptist
College Communications Centre. We would probably negotiate to use the
sound studios of the college for recording and production. Our technical
consultant is also their consultant and we have good relations with them.

LP Records: It is possible to make a good local income from producing
LP records if we could get a revolving fund established. At the moment,
there is very little on the market of good religious music for the Chinese
Community. However it would take at least US$2,000 to US$3,000 to get
it established. It could probably become self supporting - not counting
salaries of technical personnel involved.