PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 288753Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
RI
SIN
R
*No.51
31 JUL 1972
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LIET
1.
NET
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REF.
38
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 675 OF 28 JULY INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
YOUR TELEGRAM 602: WIRELESS TELEVISION LICENCES.
I WILL COMMENT ONCE I HAVE SEEN REDIFFUSION'S MEMORANDUM MEANWHILE AN URGENT PROBLEM HAS ARISEN CONCERNING TRANSMISSION.
2. THE PROPOSALS THAT TVB SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO SHARE THEIR TRANSMISSION SITES WITH THE NEW LICENSEES AND TO CHANGE FREQUENCIES WERE DISCUSSED AT A MEETING BETWEEN THE COLONIAL SECRETARY AND THEIR CHAIRMAN ON 26 JULY.
3. THEY STRONGLY OBJECT TO BOTH PROPOSALS, ALTHOUGH AWARE THAT GOVERNMENT INTENDS THAT THEY SHOULD BE SUITABLY COMPENSATED. OUR LEGAL ADVICE IS NOW THAT (CONTRARY TO THE OPINION GIVEN EARLIER) IT WOULD BE ULTRA VIRES THE TELEVISION ORDINANCE FOR THEM TO BE REQUIRED AS A CONDITION PRECEDENT TO THE RENEWAL OF THEIR LICENCE TO SHARE THEIR SITES. WE COULD NEVERTHELESS RESUME THESE AGAINST THEIR WILL, AND THEN ARRANGE (AS CONTEMPLATED IN MY TELEGRAM 648) FOR SOME ORGANISATION TO UNDERTAKE TRANSMISSION FOR ALL LICENSEES. BUT THIS WOULD INVOLVE A DAMAGING ROW WITH THEM, AND AS THEY HAVE A STRONG LOBBY HERE EX. CO. MIGHT NOT AGREE TO IT UNLESS WE COULD CONVINCINGLY DEMONSTRATE THERE WAS NO ALTERNATIVE.
CONFIDENTIAL
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