CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 04003OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 1039
OF 03183OZ JUNE 91
CONFIDENTIAL
110154 MDHOAN 4629
TOP COPY
мав за
Sa Q DIST?
Jon 30.
Mark
BBC WORLD SERVICE TELEVISION AND HUTCHISON
MR CHRIS URWIN, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF BBC WORLD SERVICE TELEVISION, RANG US ON 31 MAY TO GIVE SOME OF THE BACKGROUND TO
1.
A PROPOSED CALL BY MR RICHARD LI (SON OF MR K S LI) AND LORD DERWENT ON 4 JUNE.
2.
MR URWIN SAID THAT BBC WORLD SERVICE TELEVISION AND HUTCHISON WERE ABOUT TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT TO USE ASIASAT TO BROADCAST 24 HOURS A DAY TO ASIA. HUTCHISON WANTED TO KNOW IF WE HAD ANY VIEWS ON THEIR PLANS, WHICH INCLUDE BUYING RIGHTS FROM THE BBC TO BROADCAST IN MANDARIN AND CANTONESE, AS WELL AS ENGLISH. THEY SEEM TO HAVE GOT THE IDEA FROM SOMEWHERE THAT THEIR BROADCASTING IN CANTONESE COULD BE A MATTER OF SOME
SENSITIVITY IN HONG KONG.
3.
MR URWIN SAID THAT IF THE DEAL WENT THROUGH, THE BBC WOULD BE IN EFFECT BROADCASTING FREE OF CHARGE TO THE REGION IN THREE LANGUAGES. THEY WOULD ALSO GET A SHARE OF WHATEVER PROFITS WERE REALISED. THE DEAL WOULD PROVIDE FOR 5 MINUTES NEWS EVERY HOUR, PLUS EXTENDED NEWS BULLETINS AT FIXED INTERVALS, AND A DAILY ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING PROGRAMME, IN ADDITION TO CULTURAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMES.
4. GRATEFUL TO KNOW DESKBY 04083OZ IF YOU SEE ANY REASON TO DISCOURAGE THIS DEAL.
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