Bulletin Summer 1976

Centre is convinced tha t only by emphasis on both types of research can the field of communication be enriched. Workshop on Training for Communication Research Realizing that communication research should be such as adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the Centre not only seeks advice and participation from such disciplines as sociology, psychology, political science, economics, but also actively promotes the exchange of views with scholars from other countries. For that purpose, two regional conferences have been held to date. Workshop on Training for Communication Research was convened from 8th to 13th J a nu a r y, 1976, in Hong Kong. Co-sponsored by the Communication Research Desk of the Lutheran World Federation in Geneva, Switzerland, the workshop urged for a critical evaluation of communication research orientations, a selective application of western methodology an d a training for more competent researchers.” The conference was inaugurated by Prof. S.S. Hsueh, Dean of the Faculty of Socia l Science of Th e Chinese University of Hong Kong. In his opening address Prof. Hsueh told the participants that "communication is not just a matter of borrowing foreign technology. . . and the immediate task lies in the parallel development of indigenous technology of communication of your own ideas and concepts fo r national progress". Participants at the workshop included: Malaysia— Mr. Masor Ahmad, Department o f Mass Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia ； India 一 Dr. K.E. Eapen, Department o f Communication, Bangalore University ； Ethiopia—Mr. Ato Menkir Esayas, Department of Audience Research and Planning, Radio Voice of the Gospel ； J a p a n 一 Naozumi Eto an d Ms. Midori Suzuki of the Offic e of Communication, Luthera n World Federation ； England——Prof. Paul Ha r tma n n , Centre for Mass Communication Studies, University of Leicester; Nigeria—Prof. A.E. Opubor, Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos ； France—Dr . Wolfgang Seeger of UNE S CO in Paris ； and Geneva, Switzerland—Dr. Cees Harnelink of the Lutheran World Federation. Studies of Women and Media In addition to being a messenger of existing knowledge, the Centre also actively contributes to the building of a reservoir of communication knowledge. To date, the Centre has completed a series of research projects, including a study of broadcasting and patterns of reception among the Chinese audience and a study of the process of dissemination of major news events. The Centre is now engaged in a multi-nationa l study of women's images in the Asian media. The study enlists the participation o f scholars from nine areas in Asia: Hon g Kong, Indonesia, J a p a n, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. It is designed to identify the images depicted in the newspapers in the above nine Asian areas. Results from field studies will be firs t analyzed locally and then synthesized in Hong Kong. Because of the vast scope involved, the project will not be completed until aroun d the end of 1977. An Ombudsman Study Although many have come to believe that mass media exist mainly for information and entertainment, the Centre is well awar e of their role as a social "safety valve" . For instance , Radio Hong Kong's popular "A n Hour with Eddie Auy a ng " was one of such programmes designed to serve as an ombudsman between the government and the public. The Centre is now conducting a content analysis of the programme to identify the areas of conflicts and modes of conflict resolution. It hopes that by bringing out more such facts the public will become more aware of the redress channels availabl e to them so as to help alleviate social tension ； at the same time, such facts will also keep th e government informed of the community's problems and grievances so as to better serve the public. Following this same line , the Centre is drawing up designs to study the emerging publi c and social communication structure in th e Shatin New Town now being developed in the New Territories of Hong Kong. Th e projects outline d above indicate the directions of the Centre's research activities. In other words, the Centre is aime d at both theorectical research as well as research that will have immediate practical applicability to local problems. The