HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
28 June 1989
香港立法局
·九八九年六月二十八日
25
He said: Sir, I rise to move the Second Reading of the Telecommunication (Amendment) Bill 1989.
The purpose of this Bill, together with the Broadcasting Authority (Amendment) Bill 1989, is to provide a statutory framework for the grant of a new licence to the present commercial radio broadcaster (the current licence expiring on 25 August 1989) and also for the award of a second commercial licence by tender in 1990.
The present commercial radio broadcaster, Hong Kong Commercial. Broadcasting Co. Ltd., was first granted a licence under the Telecommunication Ordinance (Cap. 106) in 1959. Subsequently the licence was renewed several times without substantial changes. Recently, the Administration conducted a major review and having sought the views of the Broadcasting Authority, recommended updated terms and conditions which will be incorporated either in this Bill or the Broadcasting Authority (Amendment) Bill 1989, in subsidiary legislation, in the licence conditions or in the codes of practice to be issued by the Broadcasting Authority in future.
We have endeavoured to make the minimum change to the Telecommunication Ordinance compatible with our objectives and our rather tight timetable. We are also mindful that the Ordinance deals with a number of different telecommunications issues, commercial radio broadcasting being just one of these.
Most of the provisions in the Bill are self-explanatory but I would like to draw Members' attention just to the following issues.
Cross-media ownership
Neither the Telecommunication Ordinance nor the present radio licence. contains any provisions on cross-media ownership. There are, however, provisions in the Television Ordinance which introduce the concept of "disqualified persons". The effect of these provisions is that certain persons and companies which could bring influence to bear on a television licence may not hold office in a television licensee company or beneficially own more than 15% of the shares of a television licensee. Restrictions of a similar kind are fairly common overseas.
For radio, we recognize that there are differences. It is appropriate that the proposed regulatory framework for radio should take account of these