Taiwan Today

Despite the 1962 advent of television, the radio has remained free China's major medium of mass communications, offering news plus diversified programs of education, cultural, and entertainment content. Encouraged by government and spurred by competition, Chinese broadcasters are striving to provide high-caliber programs. The number of receiving sets is increasing rapidly.

At a Bangkok meeting convened in 1960 to make plans for expanding information media in Southeast Asian countries, UNESCO set a minimum of 5 sets per 100 persons. The target was 90 million sets for a population of 1,785 million by 1965 and 442 million for a population of 2,210 million by 1975.

Free China's economic growth and social progress have made it possible to exceed the UNESCO goals by a wide margin. At the end of 1965 there were 1,117,901 radio receivers (excluding those in armed farces) for a population of 12,628,348, or nearly one radio for every ten persons. Highway buses, most taxis, and many private cars have radios. Both tube-type sets and transistors are locally made and among the cheapest in the world.

Stations reach the countryside as well as the cities. Land reform having brought prosperity to rural areas, nearly every farm house has a receiver—and many are now acquiring TV as well. The radio has carried news, education, and entertainment to people who previously were starved for communication and a taste of cultural fare. The average farm radio will pick up several stations. Both local and network programs are available. Some are specifically addressed to the farmers' needs and interests.

Before 1945, when Taiwan was under Japanese administration, there were only five radio stations, all controlled by the Taiwan Broadcasting Association. Six transmitters, of which four had power of under 10,000 watts, were on the air an average of 64 hour's a day. Receiving sets totaled only 97,541, including those for military use.

The Chinese government took over the station in October, 1945. Old stations were rehabilitated and re-equipped. Four new stations were added. Service was increased to 79 hours daily. A merger brought into existence the Broadcasting Corporation of China (BCC), now the largest network, and marked the beginning of a new era in radio. In the late 1940s, many radio technicians came 10 Taiwan from the Chinese mainland. A number of private companies entered the broadcasting business. By 1966, 33 radio, enterprises were operating 72 stations - with at least one in each county and municipality. Programming totals 1,215 hours a day (including broadcasts to the Chinese mainland). Twenty-eight of the 33 are privately owned. Both private and government stations and under the supervision of the Ministry of Communications.

Mainland Service

BCC, a government enterprise, was established in 1928 as the Central Broadcasting Station. Its 10 stations have 63 transmitters, broadcasting 421 hours daily. Power totals 584.1 kw. for the 39 medium-wave transmitters, 402.5 kw. for the 20 short-wave transmitters, and 67 kw. for the 4 medium shortwave transmitters. The biggest private company is the Cheng Sheng Broadcasting Corporation. Established in 1950, it has 8 stations (2 in Taipei) and a mainland service called the Voice of Righteousness.

Two big private companies are Ming Peng Radio Stations and Fu Hsing Broadcasting Stations. Ming Peng was the first radio enterprise to move from the Chinese mainland in 1949. It has two stations in Taipei and one in llan. Fu Hsing has seven stations with 1 short-wave and 19 medium-wave transmitters.

The Armed Forces Radio Network of the Ministry of Defense, with stations on both Kinmen and Matsu is already 20 years old. The Youth Broadcasting Station is one of the newer enterprises.

Powerful Signals

BCC operates an overseas service known as the Voice of Free China. News is allocated 47.95%, entertainment 31.10%, public service 10%, and education 10.95%.

Its powerful 150 kw. medium-wave transmitters can send signals to the farthest corner of the Chinese mainland, broadcasting also objective news, entertainment, and messages of hope and truth. Listeners receive underground instructions and are told how to get in touch with Taiwan. Transmissions are in Mandarin and four other dialects. Programs include "Think It Over", "What It Is Like Behind The Iron Curtain", "Taiwan Today", and "How To Launch A Resistance Movement".

BCC's "Listeners' Box", established in July, 1960, is a channel through which mainland listeners can get in touch with Taiwan. Each letter writer has a serial number and correspondence is addressed to announcers under aliases. More than 5,000 letters have been received, many containing important information.

CSBC's mainland service, the Voice of Righteousness; and the Voice of Kuanghua Network with stations in Kinmen, Matsu, and northern Taiwan have also contributed to free China's psychological offensive against the Chinese Communists. "Club 123", Kuanghua's variety show for mainland listeners, is a prize-winning program.

The Voice of Free China service to foreign countries has helped keep overseas Chinese informed and loyal to the cause of freedom. VOFC also promotes friendship with other free world nations. Recorded programs of music and comment in Chinese dialects and in English, French, and four other languages have been distributed to 35 networks and stations abroad. BOC exchanges programs with members of the Asia Broadcasters' Union, the Broadcasting Foundation of America, and a number of European stations. Letters have come from Europe, the Americas, Australia, the Middle East, Japan, and other areas.

Domestic programs serve nearly 13 million people. Analysis of the 1,215 daily broadcast hours (including special service to the Chinese mainland) shows time allocation of news, 16.06%; education, 20.21%; public service, 15.31%; and entertainment, 48.42%.

Something for Everybody

Many programs are addressed to specific groups—children, farmers, women, servicemen, students. A typical example is the jointly sponsored "Birthday Celebration Evening" for servicemen. "Don't Listen, Gentlemen" is a CSBC feature for women. CSBC also has a Farmers' Radio Station in Taichung to serve the needs of the country's rural population. The Fu Shing Broadcasting Station addresses "Children's World" to a definite audience—but finds many adults also enjoy the program. Other specific interests are youth and police.

BCC's station in Taipei's New Park has three transmitters beaming programs in Mandarin, Amoy dialect, and a "third program" of educational, cultural, and religious significance, in Mandarin. The three categories are known to listeners as Services No.1, No.2. and No.3. Of the 40 hours daily, 18 are allocated to Mandarin programs, 12 to Amoy-dialect programs, and 10 hours to culture and education.

BCC's on-the-hour news is a "must" for those interested in current events. The BCC radio drama offering, a Sunday program, has always done well. BCC organized its Radio Drama Troupe in 1953 and a dramatic presentation has been a weekly feature ever since. Also popular is the novel reading, which goes on the air every evening. Presentation of the famed novel Dream of the Red Chamber made history seven years ago. Dialogue, narration, and musical accompaniment enabled the listener to gain a full appreciation of Ch'ao Shui-chin's masterpiece. The daily 20-minute program ran for more than two months. The climax was the late Dr. Hu Shih's review of the book. Tapes have been distributed to radio stations in more than 20 foreign countries.

CSBC provides listeners with a variety of educational, cultural, and entertainment programs. But its prize-winning specialty is "Right or Wrong", a brief news commentary that has been aired for more than 10 years.

Other top programs include the Fu Shing Broadcasting Stations' dramas, on the air since 1957; the Youth Broadcasting Station's "Music Salon"; foreign language lessons, aired by a number of stations; live coverage of athletics; speeches, commentaries, Chinese opera, and popular songs.

Golden Bell Awards

The Government Information Office long has provided radio stations with information, educational material, and programs on agriculture, industry, public health, traffic safety, and civil defense. Last year GIO took another step forward with a contest to choose outstanding radio programs. "Golden Bell” awards were made to 32 programs of the 84 nominated.

The second Golden :Bell award contest was held this year. In addition to trophies, cash awards were given. Entries totaled 112 compared with the 84 of 1965.

In the news category, the Golden Bell trophy went to the Air Force Broadcasting Station for its presentation of "Flying to Freedom" - a vivid report of the defection of Li Hsien-pin, Li Tsai-fa, and Lien Pao-sheng aboard a Communist jet bomber November 11,1965.

Other winners were Feng Ming Radio Station (public service), Kung Yi Radio Station of CSBC (English teaching), Broadcasting Corporation of China (children program), Fu Hsing Broadcasting Stations (drama), and Police Broadcasting Stations (variety show).

Best Direction

Li Yung-ching, 39, of the Police Broadcasting Station, Kaohsiung, who produced and presented the drama "Who Was To Blame?", was honored as the year's best director and script writer. Li joined the police force after graduation from a training school. With his extensive knowledge of literature and the arts, Li has been responsible for the station's dramatic programs.

Awards also went to An Tzu-hao of BCC's Central Broadcasting Station, producer of "The Gala Double Tenth National Day Celebration", and Sun Chia-lin of the Feng Ming Broadcasting Station, editor and director of a public service program. A third was shared by Liu Yu-chen, script writer, and Chen Cheng-chung, director, for "The Living Fountain", drama of the Fu Hsing
Broadcasting Station.

BCC's Miss Pai Chien-ju, 33, was recognized as the year's best announcer. She first gained popularity on the noontime program for servicemen, later known as "Club 93". She announced this show for more than four years. Since 1962, Miss Pai has been the announcer of the "Our Family" program. In 1965, she received an award from the Chinese Literature and Arts Association, She also plays roles in BCe radio dramas.

Other winners were Ting Wen of the Voice of Kuanghua Network (announcer for "Club 123"), Chang Chu of the Kung Yi Radio Station of CSBC (editor, director, and announcer of the English lessons), and Chang Chin-cheng of BCC's Central Broadcasting Station (announcer for "The Gala Double Tenth National Day Celebration").

Eight-year-old Tien Li-fen received a special medal for her performance in "Our Family". A talented singer, she began her role in the show before she was three years old.

More than 2,000 persons attended the awards presentation ceremony at the Taipei City Hall on March 26, free China's 15th Broadcast Day. James Shen, GIO director, expressed gratification at the enthusiasm shown by participants and congratulated the winners. Novelist and veteran journalist Chen Chi-ying, who headed the committee of judges said: "Improvement of radio programming shows that GIO's Golden Bell award contest already has borne fruit."

Said an award winner: "We must analyze our good points so as to be still better. Our task is to find new techniques so as to produce new and more meaningful programs. I think that is the expectation of our government and the general public."