Annex A
Public Opinion on the BRB Report
A. Comments from Individual Members of the Public
Over seven hundred letters were received from individual members of the public or groups of individuals. A brief summary of the views received follows.
On An Independent RTHK
2.
Forty submissions favoured turning RTHK into an independent public broadcaster, and almost no one argued against the proposal. Most submissions favoured the change of status as a means to promote better quality and choice of television programming in much needed areas such as current affairs, culture, drama, civic education and others. Numerous writers felt media independence would be enhanced by the change, though this argument received less emphasis.
The Proposal to Give the Public Broadcaster A Monopoly of Prime Time and to Fund the Broadcaster Through Advertising
3.
Of the sixty five submissions on this subject, fifty disagreed with the BRB's proposal, arguing that to take away prime time was excessive intervention in the private sector and would damage the revenues of the commercial TV stations. Some argued that RTHK could not compete on a commercial basis with the other stations, and that its standards would drop if it were to rely on advertising funds. A few contended that working people wished only to be entertained by television after a hard day's work. The main thrust of objections however was that the BRB's proposal was heavy handed and a major interference with Hong Kong's free capitalist system. "Long Live the capitalist pigs!" exclaimed one writer. Thirteen submissions felt that the Government should continue to fund an independent RTHK. Thirteen submissions supported the proposal for prime-time stripping, and there were five letters arguing in favour of a fifth channel for the public broadcaster.
Quality of Existing Television & Radio Programmes
4.
More than thirty submissions expressed dissatisfaction with the quality and content of TV and radio programmes. Vulgarity, foul language, permissiveness, sordidness of dramas and immoral influences of television all came under attack. One writer urged the Government to abolish "Enjoy Yourself Tonight". Several submissions argued that better control should be exercised over the output of the broadcasting stations. No letters were received arguing that the present programming needed no change or improvement.