TUESDAY, „PRIL 7, 1981
PURCHASE OF RTV SHARE HOLDING APPROVED
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THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL TODAY (TUESDAY) APPROVED PROPOSALS BY AN AUSTRALIAN CONSORTIUM WHICH INVOLVE THE PURCHASE FROM REDIFFUSION (HK) LTD., OF 61.2 PER CENT OF THE SHAREHOLDING IN REDIFFUSION TELEVISION LTD. (RTV), AND THE APPOINTMENT OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CONSORTIUM TO THE RTV BOARD.
THE DECISION COMES AFTER CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE PROPOSALS BY THE TELEVISION ADVISORY BOARD AND THE GOVERNMENT.
IN ORDER TO VERIFY THAT THE PROPOSALS WOULD PERMIT RTV TO CONTINUE TO BE RUN IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF HONG KONG, A SMALL GOVERNMENT TEAM LED BY THE SECRETARY FOR INFORMATION, MR ALAN SCOTT, AND INCLUDING MR NIGEL WATT, COMMISSIONER FOR TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING, AND MR B.P. CLANCY, DEPUTY CROWN SOLICITOR, VISITED AUSTRALIA TO MAKE A DETAILED ASSESSMENT OF THE THREE COMPANIES WHICH FORM THE CONSORTIUM. THEY ARE DAVID SYME AND CO. LTD., HENRY JONES (IXL) LTD. AND CRA LTD.
AFTER CAREFUL SCRUTINY, THE GOVERNMENT WAS SATISFIED THAT THE COMPANIES WERE AWARE OF AND FULLY ACCEPTED THE IR SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE LICENCE GRANTED TO RTV.
+THEY ENTIRELY ACCEPT AND WILL COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENT UNDER THE LAWS OF HONG KONG THAT A MAJORITY OF THE RTV DIRECTORS
UST BE BRITISH SUBJECTS RESIDENT IN HONG KONG, AND THEY VIEW THEIR INVESTMENT IN AND COMMITMENT TO RTV AS LONG TERM,+ MR SCOTT SAID.
COMMENTING ON THE AGREEMENT, MR SCOTT SAID1 +ALL THREE COMPANIES OF THE CONSORTIUM - AND THEY ARE HIGHLY REGARDED IN AUSTRALIA - HAVE INDICATED THEIR CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG AND IN RTV BY THEIR WILLINGNESS TO COMMIT SUBSTANTIAL FUNDS TO THIS VENTURE. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF VIEWERS TO HAVE TWO COMPETITIVE COMMERCIAL STATIONS, TO ENSURE A CONTINUING IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY AND STANDARDS.+
BUDGET DEBATE RESUMES TOMORROW
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EIGHT OFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL REPLY TO POINTS RAISED BY THEIR UNOFFICIAL COLLEAGUES AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) AND ON THURSDAY,
THEY ARE THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE CHIEF SECRETARY AND THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY,
THEY
FOUR BILLS WILL ALSO BE INTRODUCED FOR FIRST READING. ARE THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY (AMENDMENT) BILL 1981, THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL 1981, THE INTERPRETATION AND GENERAL CLAUSES (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BÍLL 1981 AND THE MAGISTRATES (AMENDMENT) B'LL 1981.
THE TWO-DAY SITTING WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE ON RTHK'S RADIO 2 (CHINESE) AND RADIO 4 (ENGLISH).
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