RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
RESTRICTED
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 03003OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 1232
OF 021230Z JULY 91
INFO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
HMB 027/1
pa Median
030772
MDHOAN 6517
Mais sati
1991
кр
YOUR TELNOS 1843 AND 1984: BBC WORLD SERVICE TV AND HUTCHISON 1.
WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS SUBJECT
WITH YOU DURING YOUR VISIT TO LONDON.
2. MISS SPENCER AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT HAVE SINCE HAD A FURTHER MEETING WITH LORD DERWENT AND RICHARD LI OF HUTCHISON, ACCOMPANIED BY THE HEAD OF BBC WSTV, CHRIS IRWIN. INFORMATION DEPARTMENT HAVE ALSO TALKED SEPARATELY TO IRWIN. HE IS NOW IN HONG KONG TO TIE UP FINAL DETAILS OF THE AGREEMENT WITH HUTCHISO AND HAS TELEPHONED TO SAY THAT HE IS TO HAVE A MEETING WITH YOU TOMORROW.
3. WE ARE FAXING THE RECORD OF THE LATEST DISCUSSIONS
AS EXPECTED, HUTCHISON/WSTV CONTINUED TO PRESS FOR SUBSCRIPTION TV AND CANTONESE PROGRAMMING CIN THAT ORDER OF PRIORITY). THEY WERE TOLD THAT THESE QUESTIONS WERE UNDER REVIE AND THAT THEY SHOULD MAKE THEIR CASE TO THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES. THEY ARE ALSO SEEKING, AND ATTACH MUCH IMPORTANCE TO, A WIDER EXPRESSION OF HMG'S POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED VENTURE, FOR INSTANCE THROUGH A LETTER OF COMFORT. WE ARE CONSIDERING HOW SUCH A LETTER MIGHT BE WORDED. (WE CAN NOT DIRECTLY EQUATE WSTV WITH THE RADIO WORLD SERVICE WHICH WE SPONSOR AND FUND DIRECTLY, AND WHICH HAS MORE CLOSELY DEFINED NATIONAL INTEREST OBJECTIVES. NOR CAN WE REASONABLY GO FURTHER ON BEHALF OF WSTV THAN WE WOULD DO IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES FOR A
· REPUTABLE UK COMPETITOR IN THIS FIELD.)
4. HUTCHISON AND THE BBC ARE PRESSING HARD ON SUBSCRIPTION AND CANTONESE SERVICES, WHICH ARE CLEARLY IMPORTANT TO THE PROJECT. IT MAY NOT BE STILLBORN WITHOUT THEM, BUT THE PROJECT'S COMMERCIAL SUCCESS DOES SEEM TO DEPEND ON PERMISSION TO RUN A SUBSCRIPTION OPERATION AND TO BROADCAST IN CANTONESE AT LEAST IN THE MEDIUM TERM. HUTCHISON ACCEPT THAT MANDARIN IS WIDELY UNDERSTOOD IN SOUTH CHINA AND AMONG CHINESE COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH EAST ASIA: BUT THE BBC 'WS'S EXPERIENCE IS THAT AUDIENCES MUCH PREFER TO TUNE IN TO PROGRAMMES IN THEIR MOTHER TONGUE.
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