Eastern Horizon is the United Kingdom's first bilingual (Chinese and English) community radio programme broadcast to a local audience. It was broadcast live in Manchester on BBC Radio Manchester, mostly recently on Saturdays between 12 midnight and 1 am.
Background Eastern Horizon is a community access programme produced by and for the Chinese Community in Greater Manchester and the North West.Eastern Horizon's Background, Eastern Horizon Website, 2007 Eastern Horizon was founded by a group of Chinese volunteers, led by David Wong. Early presenters and contributors included Leonard Wong, Osmond Lam, Michelle Chan, Roland, Soshan,Chinese New Year Programme Archive, Radio Television Hong Kong, 1986 Yin King Chiu, Simon Jones, Philip Godber, Winnie Godber, Josephine Chan, Alice, Susanna Chiu, Joseph Wu, Sally LiSally Li Work as Volunteer between 1984-1986 , Wai Yin Chinese Women Society Committee Profile, 2007 and Mike Dillon. Its aim is to be "a communication channel between the Chinese community and the host community".Details in Register of local groups , Manchester City Council, 2005
History The programme first broadcast on 15 December 1983 as a recorded 30-minute programme once a month. It was then expanded to one hour a week. The show was one of the first in the UK to link up with Chinese radio stations around the world to produce simulcast programme.Simulcast Details with RTHK, Radio Television Hong Kong, 1986 The show is now called Chinatown and is transmitted every Sunday evening for two hours.
On 14 December 2008, another simulcast was conducted with Spectrum Radio in London to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the establishment of Eastern Horizon with original crew members from the 1980s and 1990s.
The programme had its last transmission on 6 October 2018 and a campaign was set up to try to save it.
Presenters Presenters include Juanita Yau,BBC Cultural Diversity Document, BBC, 2002 Dee Lo and Kevin Shang. Current Programme Transmission Current Programme Transmission, BBC Radio Manchester, 2018
Programme content The programme plays a range of Chinese music from Canto-Pop and Mandarin classics to Chinese Classical tunes. It covers a range of community issues and promote events and activities for the community. Police have used the programme to broadcast appeals for information in Cantonese to the Chinese community.Radio appeal over Chinatown death, BBC News, 2004
Events and activities The programme team regularly works with other community group, organising and partake in many local fund-raising activities. Past events included Children in Need Parties, Karaoke and fashion shows.Register of local groups , Manchester City Council, 2005
Notes
External links Eastern Horizon Website Manchester Chinatown News Eastern Horizon Volunteer DJ won Shine Award, Salford University 2004 Profile of Current Producer/Presenter: Juanita Yau, Wai Yin Chinese Women Society Committee Profile, 2007