Airwave novel
Airwave novels are stories told over radio broadcasts. It is a term mostly used within Hong Kong culture. The stories can be anywhere from 15 minutes to hours long.
History[edit]
The first radio station to offer airwave novel entertainment in Hong Kong was Radio Rediffusion. Li Ngaw is generally considered the pioneer of the Chinese story broadcast format.[1] Though he did not begin the art in Hong Kong as he was already doing the story broadcasts in Guangzhou, China.[2] The art form was popular in Hong Kong during the 1950s.[1]
The term "Airwave novel" was first suggested by director Yam Wu-fa, when he bought the rights to Crime Doesn't Pay in 1949. The film originally started out as the airwave novel titled Flame of Lust by Li Ngaw.[3]
Present[edit]
Today radio stations in Hong Kong continue to broadcast stories. The format largely consist of mogwai and jiangshi tales (鬼故, literally Ghost tales). A number of Hong Kong taxi drivers do tune into the shows regularly, since radio remains to be their main form of entertainment. The stories are also for people with a deep interest in urban legend type haunted stories. The format, however, is considered an older style alternative entertainment to present day internet, television etc.
Broadcasters[edit]
- Li Ngaw (李我)
- Tang Kei-chen
- Chiang Sing
- Piu Yeung
- Fong Wing
- Siu Sheung (蕭湘)
- Ngai Mun
- Lui Kei-man (呂啟文)
- Lang Wun (冷魂)
- Chung Wai-ming (鍾偉明)
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Evans, Grant. Tam, Maria. [1997] (1997). Hong Kong: the anthropology of a Chinese metropolis. ISBN 0-7007-0601-1
- ^ lcsd.gov.hk[permanent dead link]
- ^ lcsd newsletter. April 2024