Formula for success? Do better every day

Veteran DJ Eric Ng Ka-lim has focused on the development of local broadcasting for almost three decades. He is now the head of technical development and training (Chinese programme service) for Radio and Television Hong Kong, responsible for nurturing DJs of the new generation. Besides being a trainer, he is also the presenter of the long-running programme Down Memory Lane, which plays English popular favourites. How did you enter the broadcasting industry? I studied in the School of Communication at what is now Hong Kong Baptist University in the radio and television stream. As I wanted to gain more experience in mass media I worked as a part-time translator for the press, and part-time at TVB and RTV Radio Television Hong Kong. When I was in Year Two, I knew a graduate who worked at RTHK and who wanted to produce a new series of programmes. There were very few radio programmes for young people at the time, and not much variety; most of them were relatively traditional and formal. We had many thoughts and ideas while we were still students, and thought our ideas would work. We went to RTHK, knocked on the producer's door, and introduced our idea to him. He thought it was quite interesting and asked us to produce a demonstration, which was how I began as a DJ. What was your suggestion? The design and idea of the programme we produced was like the radio programmes nowadays. It was a milestone. RTHK programmes could be described as old-fashioned. They were quite fundamental. DJs just played some pop songs or oldies and introduced the singers and song title following the record. There were not many talk shows like today. We added things like comedy and quiz questions to the programme. You studied radio and television, and you also worked for a TV station part-time; why did you finally choose to be a DJ? Actually, I'm quite a greedy person. When I was in Year Three and Four I worked at TVB as a part-time scriptwriter, and I also worked on radio. After graduating, I was invited to be a TVB scriptwriter, but I didn't want to be limited to just writing scripts. I wanted to do something in production - as a producer or an assistant producer (AP). There were very few AP positions available, and it was really difficult to get a job. As the radio station invited me to join them, I made up my mind and got into the broadcast industry. Another reason to do a radio programme was the fact it could be a one-man show. From designation, promotion to on-air, you can do everything by yourself. I thought the job satisfaction of working on radio was likely to be higher than working in TV. Did you need any kind of training before being a professional DJ despite having studied radio and television in college? At that time, there wasn't a comprehensive training programme or method to train as a broadcaster. In fact, we just learned from our experience. We put our ideas of what we believed was a good radio programme into our programme, and fortunately, what we tried to implement worked. We tried many times, and we failed many times and we learned and made improvements. Besides being a DJ, you are now the head of RTHK's technical development and training. What training is offered to newcomers? The training nowadays still emphasises the pronunciation of words, using a complete sentence when speaking, speaking in a way the audience would understand, using decent language and establishing the identity of your programme. We hope the training will help newcomers discover their potential and help them exceed their existing level. They must learn not only how to be a DJ; they also need to know how to do some behind-the-scenes work. In fact, there isn't any systematic course for a DJ. Training is tailor-made. Is there any difference between the style of DJs today compared with the past? The approach, the content, and even the arrangement of the programme are different nowadays. The methods DJs adopt are totally different from the past. The style today sounds more casual and free, but it could be a hindrance to the development of the radio broadcast industry. There could be greater development if more effort was put into production. There are also many changes in the industry. Production has changed from analogue to digital, and we have to control more equipment - not just the microphone. We used to have a studio manager to assist us in playing music and controlling the sound level, but there is no need for such a position nowadays. It's not cost-effective, as you have to employ one more person to do the production. If you do a solo show, the studio manager wouldn't know the arrangement of your programme better than yourself. What qualifications should a contemporary broadcaster have? Broadcasters have to be very well-rounded. They need to know the content of their programmes, how to control their voices, how to sustain the sound level, what should be put in the programme and how to control all the equipment. They have to know how to use the computer to help them in producing their programme. In the past few years there's been a trend for more and more radio presenters not to be professional broadcasters. What do you think about stations choosing local celebrities as presenters? Actually, I am not against that. They provide various kinds of programmes for audiences from different sectors, which is a good thing. There is variety among these presenters. Some of them perform in a professional way as they have been in the industry for a long time; some of them just do it for a short time, and would not be all that professional. You have interviewed many famous musicians. Has there been a particularly memorable experience? There are many unforgettable memories. I've interviewed pop stars like Teresa Tang, John Denver and Elton John several times. I've spoken with local singers such as Leslie Cheung, Jacky Cheung and Leon Lai. My feelings for those who have passed away are particularly strong. What is your ambition in being a DJ? My ambition is to gain one more listener every day. The most distinguishable difference between radio and TV is that the impact of radio is very slow and TV is instantaneous. You may have to put years into the effort of making your listeners know you. In addition, I always hope to do better tomorrow than today. Name: Eric Ng Ka-lim Birthplace: Hong Kong Birthday: November 29, 1951 Occupation: Broadcaster