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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986
+AS TO FREEDOM, THE PEOPLE OF USA, FRANCE, AUSTRALIA, UK AND THE OTHER COUNTRIES ALL BELIEVE IN FREEDOM AS MUCH AS WE DO AND THE BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING DOES NOT WORRY THEM.
+WHY SHOULD THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAS A VERY GOOD REPUTATION IN PROTECTING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN HEALTH AND OTHER MATTERS, GO AGAINST THIS WORLD TREND?+ MR LEE ASKED.
HE SAID PEOPLE SHOULD NOT FEAR THAT ANY COMMERCIAL TELEVISION STATION WOULD BE CLOSED DOWN BECAUSE OF SUCH A BAN SINCE THERE HAD NOT BEEN SUCH PRECEDENT IN THE WORLD.
HE QUOTED THE CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH OF THE EDITORIAL OF THE TIMES ON NOVEMBER 28, 1985, WHICH SAID: IN THE FACE OF THE OVERWHELMING MEDICAL EVIDENCE ON THE DANGER OF SMOKING, IT IS NO LONGER ENOUGH JUST TO SAY THAT SMOKING IS DECLINING AND CAN BE LEFT TO DIE OUT AT ITS OWN RATE. IT IS THE INDUSTRY THAT SHOULD BE DYING MORE QUICKLY, NOT ITS CUSTOMERS.+
ON THE INDEPENDENCE OF RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG, MR LEE SAID HE SUPPORTED THE WEEKEND OPTION AND THE DISESTABLISHMENT OF ITS STAFF.
AS FOR THE CORPORATE STRUCTURE OF THE COMMERCIAL LICENSEES, HE SAID HE AGREED WITH THE BOARD'S INTERPRETATION OF AND PROPOSAL ON SECTION 10 OF THE TELEVISION ORDINANCE BUT HE SAW A DIFFICULTY.
+1 UNDERSTAND THAT BEFORE HK-TVB LTD WENT PUBLIC, THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN CONSULTED BEFOREHAND AND HAD GIVEN ITS IMPLICIT APPROVAL TO THE PROPOSED CORPORATE STRUCTURE WHICH WAS IN FACT ADOPTED.
+ IT DOES SEEM TO ME RATHER HARSH NOW TO REQUIRE THIS LICENSEE TO UNDERGO A METAMORPHOSIS BEFORE BEING ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR A NEW LICENCE, + HE SAID.
NEW TV LICENCE SHOULD COVER 15 YEARS
****
THE NEW TELEVISION LICENCE PERIODS SHOULD CONTINUE TO COVER A 15-YEAR PERIOD TO LAST BEYOND 1997 UPON RENEWAL SO THAT PUBLIC CONFIDENCE ON THE FREEOM OF SPEECH COULD BE FOSTERED, THE HON LEE YU-TAI SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD REPORT, MR LEE SAID THE VALUE OF HONG KONG DEPENDED VERY MUCH ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ITS ECONOMY WHICH WAS SUSTAINED BY PUBLIC CONFIDENCE THE KEY TO THE WHOLE QUESTION.
/HE SAID