G.S. 166
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(b)
(c)
be adjusted and the station's usefulness both as
a publicity arm of Government and a community service would be severely curtailed. Even if it were to be decided that this should be tried out experimentally its credibility as an independent non-profit making station would be tarnished; and if the experiment failed and it reverted to Government control, the damage to its image would be irreversible. Besides, it is doubtful whether in the media business a Government department or agency in any form should compete with the private sector on a commercial basis. Commercial Radio for its part, primarily for revenue purposes, naturally prefers competing with a non-profit making Government station rather than a profit-making commercial one. For a variety of reasons, it is not recommended that the radio side of RTHK be commercialised. This is in line with the decision of the Governor in Council taken in 1976. One further point to be made in this context is that any possible question of commercialisation would have to take into account the TV and ETV side of RTHK as well, The annually recurrent cost of operating the radio service of RTHK, at present day prices, is estimated at $33, 7m.
Allocate the 2 extra MW channels to TVB and RTV
This suggestion, which has been mooted by the stations from time to time, would probably not be welcomed by the public as it would concentrate control in the media field on the two television stations. It would also be unlikely to lead to a significant addition to the type of material broadcast on radio at present. The two stations might welcome such an offer as a linked investment but Government would certainly be criticised for favouritism as it would deprive other interested bodies of the opportunity of making their case to Government. It is considered preferable that the licensing of any extra commercial sound broadcasting station - were there to be one - should be invited through public tender, even though there is at present no real evidence of the existence of other would-be tenderers.
Local commercial radio
As recorded in paragraph 20, the Governor in Council decided in July 1979 that at the time of the progress report on local radio Tsuen Wan consideration should be given to whether local radio services might
be financed, wholly, in part, or at all, by commercial
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