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(a) that it is in
the public's broadcast the message on TV;
(b)
(c)
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interest to
that the message relates to such issues of public concern as health, safety, social welfare, legal obligations, availability of public resources and changes affecting traffic or other environmental factors; or
that the message is directly related to a government policy or operational objective.
The BRB recommended that the power to determine the material that constitutes an API should rest with the Administration. The Administration recommends that it should continue to select topics for the production of APIs, but that in the event of any dispute between the Administration and the commercial licensees the matter should be referred to the Broadcasting Authority whose decision should be final.
III. PROGRAMME QUALITY
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The BRB made a number of recommendations on programme quality. Two major recommendations, concerning the censorship standards applicable to
to TV programmes, and the broadcast of religious programmes are discussed below.
Censorship standards
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criticising
submissions to the BRB
A number of
expressed dissatisfaction with the content and quality of television programmes,
in particular excessive violence, excessive vulgarity and unhealthy themes in some Chinese programmes. Other submissions favoured relaxing censorship standards especially late at night. The Board felt that the existing standards fairly reflect those of the community and, having regard to the situation in Hong Kong where 95% of homes have television sets and many children stay to watch television late into the night, it recommended that the prevailing censorship standards should continue.
should continue. It considered, however, that stricter controls should be enforced over the content of station promotions broadcast during family viewing hours, especially during children's
The Administration programmes. endorses these recommendations.
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In Hong Kong, television is the most popular form of entertainment. Programmes imported from overseas are produced in accordance with codes of practice which differ from and may
CONFIDENTIAL