CONFIDENTIAL
3.
Stirling confirmed that he had gone to
Hong Kong with the personal intention of selling
out his TVB shares and of offering his services
"/
for a public service third channel. The TVB
chasach
Board as a whole hoped that the third programme
would be cancelled. He personally did not.
But he hoped that it would be delayed while you
thought out the implications of public service
broadcasting. We asked Colonel Stirling whether
his anxiety about the third station now took
precedence over the technical problem of the use
of band IV and band V. He replied that the two
were related since the technical problems would
channels
channel
obviously be increased if three stations had to
be accommodated.
But he thought TVB now gave
priority to a review of the third Subject to this, and provided
annel
Provided that the technical problems of inter-
ference and TVB's need to have access to its
existing customers could be met, his Board would
be willing to offer full co-operation, including
Channel co-location, to whoever got the second pagramas.
There might therefore be a quote horse trade
unquote.
4. We commented that the technical questions
were for you. We agreed, however, that we
would convey the offer of co-location to you and
would ask your intentions about the third Channel
Subsequently
Subsequently we have seen your letter
to Stuart of 28 November. The reason for
Stirling's change of tactics is presumably that
he wants both a good price for his TVB shares
032717 E.W.& S., Ltd. 164m 3/67.
/and
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN