i remember Ian Hope

I joined the Department of Broadcasting in 1958 as a BroadcastingAssistant and worked closely with all radio producers from the fourdifferent sections including Mr. Ian Hope. He was then a radioproducer for the English Programme Section. He produced mainly talkshows, eg. Radio Forums on current topics, Youth Programme "Youth AtThe Helm" and he also read the news. Over the years, we got alongvery well. I understand from him that in 1954 he was a EnglishLiterature teacher at Bartley Secondary School. In 1956, he joinedthe Broadcasting Service, organised as "Radio Malaya, Singapore andthe Federation of Malaya" headquarters in Singapore. When TV wasintroduced in 1963, there was the News and Newsreel Programme. Theannouncer who read the News would appear on TV while the Newsreelannouncer would be seen off screen.I attached the following photographs which I took of Mr. Hope beforehe left for Australia in 1973.Caption for Photo No 1 taken on 23 November 1961Mr Hope and his 4 children taken at the Mount Emily Swimming Pool inSophia Road.Photo No 2 taken on 7 November 1962Mr. Hope chaired the programme "Youth At The Helm" in "B" Studio Radio Malaya.Photo No 3 taken on 26 March 1963.Mr. Hope and Mr. David Prior from Australia during a last minuteinclusion for the Newsreel portion at the TV studio.

Regards Mun Chor Seng

i remember Foong Choon Hon

i remember Foong Choon Hon

Mr Foong Choon Hon Hon one of Caldecott Hill Old Timers died suddenly on 30 Mar 2009. He was a retired broadcaster, TV Producer and journalist. At the age of 80 he was still on Radio 95.8 current affairs programmes. I met him only recently at Caldecott Hill canteen and he appeared to very healthy. I am shocked to hear that he has passed away.
He retired from the company in 1984 after spending time in the current affairs department and later on help to establish the local Chinese drama unit.
I remember him to be a soft-spoken cheerful person. In 60s and 70s I used to meet him at television studio 3 where the then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yews recording of National Speech was done. I was then operating the auto-cue machine. His advice was sought to make PM’s script easier to be be understood by heartlanders of Singapore. I understand he was also a tutor for Mr Lee Kuan Yew when the then PM was mastering Mandarin.
His last memorable project was to convert the 160-year old villa at Balestier Road into the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall together with another Caldecott Hill Old-Timer Mr Mun Chor Seng. For this he earned the respect of the Chinese community.
I knew him to be a humble, simple person well-respected by his peers and staff …and salute him for his dedication and work till the last hour of his departure. His departure is a loss to the media industry and community.