Annex D
Hutchison CableVision
27 January, 1987
Mr James So
Secretary for Administrative Services Administrative Services & Information Branch
Central Government Offices
1st Floor, East Wing
20 Lower Albert Road Hong Kong
Hutchison Cable-Vision Lid. R. m -11, Hutchison House.
Harcourt Road.
Central Hong Kong.
T:.: 5-230461,
3-228824 (direct line!
Fast 7-8106092
Telex: 73176 HILHK JIX
Dear Mr So,
I understand from our meeting of 12th January and from newspaper comment that CTHK have indeed applied for Government agreement to proceed with their cable TV pilot scheme at Taikooshing.
Hutchison CableVision believe strongly that agreement for the pilot to proceed should not be granted, and I present below a number of arguments which support this view.
Very briefly, a pilot could only be required to test either the planned network or the programme model. It is inconceivable that CTHK need to test the network since from my understanding of their plans the network itself is based on well established technology.
We believe that a pilot to test the programmes to be offered would be of little value. It would not be fully representative with respect to the total Hong Kong population and it could not proceed for a sufficiently long period to properly reflect the changing viewing patterns which accompany the introduction of new entertainment media. Furthermore, it could not properly test the public response to such Territory-wide services as educational and community programming. A great deal of discussion on these services between Government bodies and the prospective cable operator will have to be undertaken before they can be introduced.
...P.1