The Television Advisory Board has endorsed the Administration's proposals as outlined in the above paragraphs with the exception of the time restriction for the screening of APIS. It suggested that the broadcast of APIs should not be less than one minute within each clock hour. Administration however consider this excessive as at present only 7 minutes of APIs are screened on each service per day. This is likely to be reduced in future because only
Announcements in the Public Interest will be screened.
The
PUBLIC REACTION
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The general public are unlikely to be concerned with the finer details of the recommendations regarding advertising, but will consider them as reasonable changes overall which will marginally improve viewing without sacrificing the revenues upon which the television licensees depend. Some observers may consider that by allowing as little as eight minutes of programme between breaks, the problem of excessive programme interruption will not be greatly reduced. The television licensees and the advertising industry will regard the changes as an improvement on the BRB's proposals and are likely to find them acceptable.
34
A decision
to
programmes.
more
continue the present approach to censorship is likely to be criticised by
individuals who consider that there is excessive violence and vulgarity in the Chinese television
some On the other hand, liberal-minded commentators as well as the media may regret that the opportunity has not been taken to relax the level of censorship, or at least to allow greater self-regulation by the industry.
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A decision to let the future Broadcasting Authority deal with many of the
the BRB's proposals regarding programme content and standards will be considered reasonable.
PUBLICITY
D
36
The Executive Council's advice has now been sought on most of the major recommendations of the BRB. Subject to members' agreement, Council's decision on this, and previous papers, will be announced as soon as possible by a press conference. For members' reference, at Annex D is a list of all the decisions reached So far on the BRB's proposals > indicating in each case whether the proposal has been accepted, accepted with modifications, or rejected.
CONFIDENTIAL