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THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 1985
+ IN OTHER WORDS, THE INTENTION IS THAT THE EPA WOULD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF LEGISLATION, INCLUDING THE ADMINISTRATION OF LICENSING AND PERMIT SYSTEMS, THE POLICING OF POLLUTION OFFENCES, THE INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINTS AND THE PROSECUTION OF OFFENDERS.
+ IT WOULD ALSO ASSUME PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR IDENTIFYING THE NEED FOR CONTROL LEGISLATION TO HELP IN STRENGTHENING GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO COMBAT POLLUTION, MR CHAMBERS SAID.
FOUR NON-TECHNICAL QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW BOARD *****
THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR PETER TSAO TODAY SET OUT FOUR QUESTIONS WHICH HE THOUGHT WERE THE CRUCIAL NON-TECHNICAL ISSUES WHICH THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD HAD TO ADDRESS.
THEY WERE WHETHER THE PUBLIC WERE GETTING VALUE FOR MONEY FOR THE BROADCASTING SERVICES IF THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION WAS NO OR A QUALIFIED YES, WHAT WAS THE BEST MEANS FOR IMPROVING THE PROGRAMMES: WHAT RESOURCES COULD BE AFFORDED; AND LASTLY WHAT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE.
MR TSAO WAS SPEAKING AT THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON LUNCH TODAY.
ON THE QUESTION OF VALUE FOR MONEY, MR TSAO POINTED OUT THAT AT PRESENT EVERYONE IN HONG KONG PAID FOR THE VISUAL ENTERTAINMENT FED INTO PEOPLE'S HOMES, ALBEIT INDIRECTLY, THROUGH THE COST OF ADVERTISING IN THE PRODUCTS THEY BOUGHT.
IF THERE WAS ANY DOUBT ABOUT THE TV LICENSEES PUTTING BACK SUFFICIENT OF THEIR PROFITS INTO THE PRODUCTION OF HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMMES, THE NEXT THING TO CONSIDER WAS THE BEST MEANS FOR IMPROVING THE TYPE, QUALITY AND BALANCE OF THE PROGRAMMES.
FURTHERMORE, IT COULD BE ASKED WHETHER IMPROVEMENT SHOULD BE DONE BY GOVERNMENT REGULATION AND SUPERVISION, BY ADJUSTING THE FINANCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE LICENCES, OR BY GOVERNMENT TAKING A LEAD THROUGH THE DIVERSION OF RESOURCES INTO MORE PUBLIC TELEVISION BROADCASTING.
MR TSAO SAID THAT THE QUESTION OF RESOURCES COULD NOT BE IGNORED.
+RESOURCES ARE LIMITED WHETHER THEY BE CALCULATED AS THE SIZE OF THE ADVERTISING MARKET FROM WHICH THE LICENSEES AND GOVERNMENT DERIVE REVENUE, OR AS THE WILLINGNESS OF TAXPAYERS TO SEE PART OF THE IR TAXES DIRECTED TOWARDS GOVERNMENT FUNDED ENTERTAINMENT AND INFORMATION MEDIA, HE SAID.
THIS QUESTION