Metro eyes boost from new shows

The programming will air on Radio Guangdong's City of Star channel, and will include drama and shows offering entertainment tips for mainland travellers heading for Hong Kong on shopping sprees. Metro Radio deputy managing director Bianca Ma said: "To expand our coverage and attract more people and advertisers in the Pearl River Delta, we need to develop Mandarin broadcasts." Carat Hong Kong managing director Stewart Li said: "Metro Radio is now better positioned to attract the interest of retailers such as gold and jewellery brands and electrical appliances shops, as those advertisers attach great importance to travellers from the mainland." Metro aims to develop 100 hours of Mandarin programming this year. Ma said further enhancement of the Metro Finance channel was also planned, with increased real-time market news and investment seminars to be organised in conjunction with advertisers. She is forecast 30 per cent ad revenue growth for Metro Radio this year, and said China-related turnover would contribute between 10 to 20 per cent to total advertising sales by the end of 2005. Optimedia chief executive officer Steven Chang said the radio industry was poised to reap significant profits in the near future. "Although the absolute amount of advertising dollars invested in using radio is still small, at less than three to four per cent (of the pie), growth in the past few years was, on average, more than 20 per cent." According to Nielsen Media Research, Metro Radio's advertising revenue surged 12.8 per cent to HK$567 million (US$72.6 million) in 2004.