NO
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986
EIGHTH, THERE SHOULD BE A PUBLIC BROADCASTER WHICH SHOULD REPORT TO A BOARD OF GOVERNORS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR WITH CAREFULLY SELECTED MEMBERS.
IT SHOULD HAVE EDITORIAL AUTONOMY AND THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SUPPORT THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER WITH PUBLIC FUNDS, DR HO NOTED.
HE ADDED THAT THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WERE ALSO UNANIMOUS IN THEIR SUPPORT FOR UPHOLDING THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-SMOKING POLICY THOUGH THEY HAD DIFFERENT VIEWS ON HOW AND AT WHAT PACE THIS POLICY SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
DR HO THEN EXPRESSED HIS PERSONAL VIEWS ON THE ROLE OF RTHK AND THE LICENCE PERIOD FOR THE TELEVISION INDUSTRY.
HE POINTED OUT THAT A SIGNIFICANT ROLE OF RTHK IN FUTURE WAS TO ENSURE A BALANCED TELEVISION PROGRAMMING OF ENTERTAINMENT, INFORMATION AND EDUCATION.
+TO THIS END, I PROPOSE THAT RTHK SHOULD PRODUCE MORE PUBLIC AFFAIRS, EDUCATIONAL AND ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMES AND SECURE AN EXTENDED ACCESS TO THE AIRTIME OF THE COMMERCIAL TELEVISION LICENSEES FOR THE IR SCREENING THROUGH PROVISIONS IN THE FUTURE BROADCASTING ORDINANCE, SPECIFICATIONS IN THE NEW LICENSING CONDITIONS AND MUTUAL CONSULTATIONS, HE SAID.
A MORE FLEXIBLE USE OF AIR-TIME ON WEEKDAYS AND WEEKENDS IN PREFERENCE TO THE SERVICE SHARING OPTION AND WEEKEND OPTION PERMITTED THE SCREENING OF A GREATER VARIETY OF RTHK PROGRAMMES, HE SUGGESTED.
THESE ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMMERCIAL TELEVISION LICENSEES AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT THAT RTHK ALREADY HAD 14 HOURS PER WEEK ON THE FOUR CHANNELS WITH ABOUT A QUARTER WITHIN PRIME TIME ON WEEKDAYS AND WEEKENDS, HE SAID.
DR HO SAID HE WAS SATISFIED THAT RTHK DID ENJOY EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE AS REFLECTED BY FINDINGS OF THE TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING AUTHORITY AUDIENCE SURVEY BUT HE CAUTIONED THAT RELIANCE ON ADVERTISING REVENUE WOULD INEVITABLY SUBJECT EDITORIAL INDEPENENCE TO COMMERCIAL CONSIDERATIONS.
HE THEREFORE AGREED THAT A BOARD OF GOVERNORS BE SET UP COMPOSED OF A CROSS-SECTION OF COMMUNITY LEADERS IN DIVERSIFIED FIELDS, MEDIA EXPERTS AND TWO LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS, AND CHAIRED BY AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER TO ENSURE THAT RTHK WOULD REMAIN AN AUTONOMOUS ORGANISATION, INSULATED AGAINST EXTERNAL PRESSURES AND RESTRAINTS.
IN ADDITION,