-
WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 1976
COMPETITIVE TELEVISION BRINGS BETTER PROGRAMMING FOURTH REPORT OF TELEVISION ADVISORY BOARD PUBLISHED
******
KEEN COMPETITION BETWEEN THE RIVAL TELEVISION COMPANIES IS CLEARLY ACHIEVING ITS PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVE OF BRINGING BENEFITS TO THE PUBLIC IN THE FORM OF BETTER AND MORE VARIED TELEVISION ENTERTAINMENT.
THIS IS STATED BY THE TELEVISION ADVISORY BOARD IN ITS FOURTH REPORT WHICH WAS TABLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY). THE REPORT COVERS THE PERIOD FROM MID 1974 UP TO THE END OF 1975.
HOWEVER, THE BOARD EXPRESSES CONCERN THAT THE COMPANIES HAVE NOT YET MET THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE. CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING IN CHINESE FOR THE IMPORTANT MINORITY OF YOUNG VIEWERS IN THE 5 TO 9 YEAR OLD AND 10 TO 15 YEAR OLD AGE GROUPS.
ON THIS SUBJECT THE BOARD NOTED SOME IMPROVEMENT IN THIS FIELD SINCE IT LAST REPORTED IN 1974.
+MORE RECENTLY, IT SAYS, THE NUMBER OF JAPANESE PROGRAMMES APPEALING TO YOUNG PERSONS BUT CONTAINING AN UNDESIRABLE AMOUNT OF VIOLENCE HAVE BEEN REDUCED BOTH BY THE VOLUNTARY ACTION OF THE LICENCEES IN EITHER LIMITING OR REPLACING OF THESE PROGRAMMES AND BY THE EXECUTIVE ACTION OF THE TELEVISION AUTHORITY IN CURTAILING SOME NEW SERIES OF A SIMILAR TYPE.+
THE BOARD SAYS: +THERE IS STILL A HEAVY RELIANCE BY THE STATIONS ON JAPAN AS A SOURCE OF PROGRAMMES WHICH APPEAL TO THE YOUNG. A NUMBER OF THESE PROGRAMMES, PARTICULARLY SOME OF THE MORE RECENT CARTOON SERIES, ARE EXCELLENT AND WE WELCOME THE IR ADDITION TO THE SCHEDULES- BUT WE ARE ANXIOUS TO SEE THE GROWING MATURITY AND ABILITY OF THE LICENCEES IN THE FIELD OF THEIR OWN LOCAL PRODUCTIONS USED TO A GREATER EXTENT TO PROVIDE THE YOUNG OF HONG KONG WITH THEIR OWN POSITIVE, WHOLESOME AND ENTERTAINING TELEVISION PROGRAMMES.
THE IMPACT OF TELEVISION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE YOUNG CITIZEN IS A PROBLEM WHICH IS CONCERNING MOST AREAS OF THE WORLD WHERE TELEVISION VIEWING IS A MAJOR LEISURE ACTIVITY, HONG KONG, WITH ITS BI-SESSIONAL PRIMARY SCHOOL SYSTEM WHEREBY HALF OF OUR YOUNG CHILDREN WHO ATTEND THE AFTERNOON SCHOOL MAY BE STAYING UP LATE AND WATCHING TELEVISION RPOGRAMMES UNTIL CLOSE-DOWN, PRESENTS A SPECIAL PROBLEM.
+WE WERE THEREFORE PLEASED TO LEARN DURING THE LATTER PART OF 1975 THAT THE TELEVISION AUTHORITY WAS HOLDING DISCUSSIONS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY REGARDING THE POSSIBILITY OF A STUDY BEING MOUNTED TO ENQUIRE FURTHER INTO THE VIEWING HABITS OF YOUNG PERSONS.+
/CONCLUDING