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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1978
+THIS IS A FACTOR THAT WILL ALWAYS AFFECT TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS IN HONG KONG AS IT IS UNLIKELY THAT OVERSEAS MARKETS CAN BE DEVELOPED FOR OUR LOCAL PRODUCTIONS TO ANY EXTENT WHICH WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE THE POSITION, IT SAYS.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT FACTOR, THE BOARD SAYS, WOULD APPEAR TO BE THE ELEMENT OF COMPETITION IN THE STAFFING OF THE STATIONS.
AS TELEVISION IS STILL A COMPARATIVELY YOUNG INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG, THERE HAS BEEN INSUFFICIENT TIME TO BUILD UP A RESERVOIR OF THE VARIOUS TYPES OF TALENT ADEQUATE TO MEET AN EXPANDING SITUATION.
+THIS HAS PRODUCED A SITUATION IN WHICH STAFF COSTS, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS RELATED TO LOCAL PRODUCTION, HAVE DOUBLED AND EVEN TRIPLED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.+
OTHER LESSER CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS WERE COMPETITION FOR THE PURCHASE OF TRANSMISSION RIGHTS FOR MAJOR OVERSEAS EVENTS AND FOR IMPORTED MATERIAL.
THE REPORT ALSO UNDERLINES THE IMPORTANCE THE BOARD ATTACHES TO THE QUESTION OF THE SHARE-HOLDING AND MANAGEMENT CONTROL OF THE ENFRANCHISED TELEVISION BROADCASTING COMPANIES.
IT IS OF FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE, THE BOARD STATES, THAT THE LICENCES TO OPERATE TELEVISION STATIONS ARE AWARDED ONLY AFTER THE MOST CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF THE CHARACTER AND GENERAL SUITABILITY OF THE ORGANISATIONS WHO SEEK THEM.
+WE ARE SATISFIED THAT THIS WAS THE CASE WITH THE (THEN) THREE EXISTING LICENCEES WHO HAD ALL BEEN ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE SATISFACTORILY AT THE TIME OF THE ISSUE OF THEIR LICENCES THAT THEY WERE COMPANIES WITH BROADLY-BASED LOCAL SHAREHOLDINGS THAT THEY HAD ACCESS TO ACCEPTABLE SOURCES OF FINANCE, THAT THERE WAS NO REPRESENTATION OF INCOMPATIBLE OR CONFLICTING INTERESTS WITHIN THE COMPANIES AND THAT THEY WOULD BRING TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANIES A DEMONSTRATED DEGREE OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE.+
IT ADDS +WE CONSIDER THAT IT IS OF EQUAL AND FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THE LAW SHOULD ENSURE THAT THESE SAME DESIRABLE CONDITIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES WILL OBTAIN THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD OF THE COMPANY'S FRANCHISE AND THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR ANY MAJOR DEGREE OF CONTROL OF THE COMPANIES TO PASS INTO THE HANDS OTHER THAN THOSE INTO WHICH IT WAS ENTRUSTED EXCEPT WITH PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNMENT.+
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