COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA
239
standards, a lengthy period of public consultation aimed at obtaining the community's views on the report was carried out and completed in February. A wide cross-section of the community expressed their opinions and the report was also debated in the Legislative Council.
Since there were more than 100 recommendations in the report, they were grouped for administrative convenience under different packages, each package covering a specific policy area. In July, the Governor in Council announced that, in principle, the introduction of cable television in Hong Kong would be accepted. This was followed by a further announcement in November on the government's decisions on the other major recom- mendations of the Broadcasting Review Board. These included:
(i) The existing pattern of two television licensees, each operating one Chinese and one English language service, should continue.
(ii) To enable more effective control to be exercised over the activities of the broadcasting licensees and to allow for greater public participation in the regulation of the broadcasting industry, a Broadcasting Authority will be created with responsibility over television, radio and cable television. Its functions will include administering the provisions of the future Broadcasting Ordinance and securing proper standards of broadcasting with regard to programme content and technical efficiency of broadcasts. The authority will consist of 12 members appointed by the Governor, including three official members. The Television Entertainment Licensing Authority will act as the executive arm of the authority. A complaints committee will be established within the ambit of the authority to resolve disputes in the broadcasting industry.
(iii) The existing television licences, which are due to expire in December 1988, will be renewed for a 12-year period subject to a mid-term review in 1994. Additional regulatory measures will be imposed on the new licensees which include a requirement for the maintenance of a complaints procedure, payment of royalties based on turnover, submission of audited accounts to the Broadcasting Authority and imposition of heavier financial penalties for contravention of the regulations of the future Broadcasting Ordinance. Public hearings will also be conducted in future before television licences are granted, renewed or reviewed.
(iv) RTHK will remain within the public service as an executive arm of a Board of Governors to be appointed by the Governor. The board will consist of nine members, including one official member, and will be established by legislation. Its functions will be to decide, within the ambit of the future RTHK Ordinance, the broad policies and objectives of RTHK, so that it should continue to be and be seen to be a balanced and objective public broadcaster. RTHK will continue to receive public funding but will be free to accept sponsorship and donation. It will be given an increased presence on television both in terms of the total number of hours made available for RTHK programmes and its access to prime time hours.
(v) A total ban on tobacco advertisements on television and radio will be introduced in December 1990. In the interim, further restrictions will be placed on tobacco advertising and sponsorship on television and radio, including the extension of the hours of ban on TV from 4.30-6.30 p.m. to 4.30-10.30 p.m. in December 1988.
(vi) To improve the viewing enjoyment of the audience, restrictions on the frequency and length of advertising breaks will be introduced in the terms and conditions of the future television licences.
(vii) The definition of Announcement of Public Interest will be tightened so that the television stations will only be required to broadcast free of charge announcements in