TELECAST OF CANTONESE SERIALS (Response to demand)

Dr Lee Siew-Choh asked the Minister for Communications and Information whether he is aware that many people, especially the aged, would like a resumption of Cantonese serials telecast by the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, and whether he plans to respond positively to such popular demands.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications and Information (Mr Ho Kah Leong) (for the Minister for Communications and Information): ( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, SBC's practice of not telecasting Cantonese serials is in support of Government's policy to promote the use of Mandarin rather than dialect.

When it did so, SBC realized that some older members of the family would be inconvenienced. It was a sacrifice on their part. But, by and large, most have accepted that their sacrifice has not been in vain. They realize and accept that this is for the good of their children and grandchildren, as the children in the family would not then have to cope with both Mandarin and dialect in addition to the other subjects in the school time-table. SBC will therefore not re-introduce Cantonese serials.

In the meantime, SBC took steps to develop local Mandarin programmes which have become as popular, if not more, than Cantonese programmes made in Hong Kong. Surveys done by Survey Research Singapore (SRS) since July 1988 show that the average Chinese viewership for the nightly SBC Mandarin serials telecast at 9.30 pm during weekdays was 47%. Among the older Chinese, that is those above the age of 50, 52% of them watched these serials. These figures compare well with the viewership for popular Cantonese serials in Hong Kong itself. For example, the two most popular Cantonese serials telecast in Hong Kong in the corresponding period each had a viewership of 46%.

Dr Lee Siew-Choh: ( In Mandarin): Sir, when was this Government survey carried out?

Mr Ho Kah Leong: ( In Mandarin): These surveys are continually carried out every three monthly.

Dr Lee Siew-Choh: ( In Mandarin): Are these surveys published then?

Mr Ho Kah Leong: ( In Mandarin): Sir, these figures are not something new. It is not necessary for us to publish them after every survey. But if the Member would like to have these figures I would be prepared to supply them to him.

Dr Lee Siew-Choh: ( In Mandarin): Are these surveys accurate and reliable?

Mr Ho Kah Leong: ( In Mandarin): As far as I know, the company that carries out the survey is very reliable and the figureshave a high degree of accuracy.

Dr Lee Siew-Choh: ( In Mandarin): Does the Government know that every night many Chinese Singaporeans watch the Malaysian TV3 and RTM3 programmes? Does he know that?

Mr Ho Kah Leong: ( In Mandarin): We do. Because of this, just as Dr Lee has said our Singapore viewers are also able to watch some dialect serials through these channels. This gives SBC the more reason to discontinue the telecast of Cantonese serials.

Dr Lee Siew-Choh: ( In Mandarin): On the contrary, what I have heard is that they want to watch Cantonese serials from on local TV station.

Mr Ho Kah Leong: ( In Mandarin): Yes, most of Singaporean viewers, including the older generation, would like to watch Mandarian serials made in Singapore, just as Dr Lee has mentioned a moment ago by a slip of his tongue. In this way the older generation can watch together with their grandchildren and at the same time enjoy family togetherness.

Dr Lee Siew-Choh: ( In Mandarin): Enjoying family togetherness, yes. Then why not allow the older generation to enjoy Cantonese serials together with their children who can also understand Cantonese? Why can they not enjoy the Cantonese serials together then?

Mr Ho Kah Leong: ( In Mandarin): Dr Lee perhaps knows that nowadays, generally the older generation Chinese also understand Mandarin. Although they may not be too fluent in the spoken Mandarin they can still understand it.