Hansard

Broadcasts (Languages)

Volume 441: debated on Monday 11 August 1947

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36.

Mr. Keeling

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will issue in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement of the principal languages, other than English, understood in the Colonies, and Trust Territories, showing the estimated number of persons understanding each language, the languages in which the B.B.C. broadcasts and the estimated number of persons respectively within and outside the Colonies, etc., who listen to such broadcasts.

Mr. Creech Jones,

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 7th May, 1947; Vol. 437; c. 401], supplied the following information:

  • (1) In the British Colonies, etc., out side Africa the languages other than English which may be called principal in the sense of being common to the greatest number, are
    • Sinhalese, understood by approximately four million;
    • Chinese (of various dialects) understood by approximately four million;
    • Tamil, understood by approximately three million;
    • Malay, understood by approximately three million;
    • Arabic, understood by approximately two million.
  • (2) In the East African territories of Kenya, Tanganyika, Uganda and Zanzibar, the total population of which is about 13½ million, Kiswahili is widely understood but in varying forms and degrees.
  • (3) Hausa is spoken by nearly five million people in the Northern Provinces of Nigeria and the Northern Territories of the Gold Coast. In addition, it is understood to some extent by a number, which cannot be at all accurately estimated, of the peoples of other language groups in British West Africa.
  • (4) Of the other main African languages Ibo and Yoruba are understood by at least four and three million people respectively. Akan (Twi, Fanti and Ashanti), Nyanza and Banda may each be very broadly estimated to be understood by between one and three millions.
  • (5) The B.B.C. broadcasts in the following languages, other than English, understood by an appreciable number of people in the Colonies: Arabic, Chinese (Cantonese, Hokkien, Kuoyu), French, Greek and Turkish (for Cyprus), Hindustani, Malay, Maltese, Sinhalese and Tamil.
  • (6) No comprehensive estimate is possible of the number of people outside the Colonies who listen to the B.B.C.' s broadcasts in the languages listed above, and in any estimate of the number of listeners to such broadcasts within the Colonies there must be a large element of conjecture. The following notes give some indication of the estimated numbers within the Colonies who may receive these broadcasts either direct from the United Kingdom or rebroadcast by a local Colonial station.
  • (7) The B.B.C.'s Arabic broadcasts are probably heard direct by between 25,000 and 30,000 listeners in British territories in the Near and Middle East and East Africa, as well as by a small number in British North West Africa. When rebroadcast by the Palestine Broadcasting Service they can be heard by a larger number.
  • (8) The number of direct listeners to the B.B.C.'s service in Maltese is estimated at 12,000. The Wire Rediffusion System in Malta, which regularly and extensively relays B.B.C. Programmes, serves some 30,000 people.
  • (9) In Cyprus the audience for the B.B.C.'s special programme in Cypriot Greek is estimated at 30,000, and for the Turkish broadcasts at 3,000. The B.B.C.'s service in Greek for Greece is also listened to by some thousand people in Tanganyika.
  • (10) About 3,000 people in Mauritius are said to listen to the B.B.C.'s overseas broadcasts in French.
  • (11) Hindustani broadcasts may be heard by about 3,000 in the Colonies, particularly in Mauritius, Fiji, Aden, Uganda and Zanzibar.
  • (12) The audience in Ceylon for direct reception of the B.B.C.'s broadcasts in Sinhalese is estimated at 2,000. When, as is hoped, the Ceylon Broadcasting Ser- vice resumes regular rebroadcasts of these programmes, the number of listeners is likely to rise to about 35,000. The service in Tamil, at present heard direct by about 500 listeners, may be expected to increase in proportion for a similar reason.
  • (13) Broadcasts in Cantonese, which are regularly relayed by the Hong Kong broadcasting service are thought to be listened to by some 60,000 people in that Colony.
  • (14) In Malaya and other British Far Eastern territories the results of the re-introduction of a licensing system will not be available before 1948. No assessment of the number of listeners in those territories to the B.B.C.'s services in Malay, Tamil and Chinese can, therefore, yet be made.