WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986
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CALL TO STOP MONOPOLISATION OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA
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THE VITALITY OF OUR SOCIETY LIES IN FREE COMPETITION, WHICH MUST BE SAFEGUARDED, YET MONOPOLISATION ALREADY APPEARED IN THE FIELD OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA AND THIS IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING EXTENDED TO OTHER AREAS BY MEANS OF ITS POWERFUL INFLUENCE, THE HON SZETO WAH SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY). SPEAKING IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD REPORT, MR SZETO SAID THIS SITUATION MUST BE CHANGED, IN PART TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE ENTIRE ELECTRONIC MEDIA SO AS TO ENABLE IT TO BETTER DISCHARGE ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC.
HE SAID THE AIRWAVES MUST BE WELL UTILISED TO SERVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
MR SZETO SAID THE ELECTRONIC MEDIA CONSTITUTED A MOST POWERFUL MEANS OF PUBLICITY AND EDUCATION, AND IT MUST THEREFORE ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROMOTE SOCIAL PROGRESS.
+ IN ORDER THAT THE BABY CONFRONTING THE GIANT COULD STAND FIRM AND EVENTUALLY BECOME A COUNTERACTING AND BALANCING FORCE, AN INDEPENDENT PUBLIC BROADCASTER HAS TO BE ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE PART OF THE PRIME TIME FOR THIS BROADCASTER SO AS TO ENSURE THAT IT HAS A FIRM FINANCIAL BASE, HE SAID.
HE STRESSED THAT SECTION 10(A) OF THE TELEVISION ORDINANCE (CAP 52) MUST BE STRICTLY ENFORCED AND SPECIAL ATTENTION MUST BE PAID TO A RECENT JUDGEMENT MADE BY THE SUPREME COURT.
+ONLY THEN COULD THE UNDESIRABLE EXPANSION OF MONOPOLISATION BE RESTRAINED,+ HE SAID.
MR SZETO NOTED THAT AIRWAVES AND PRIME TIME PERIODS WERE ALL PUBLIC RESOURCES.
+TAKING BACK PART OF THESE AT THE END OF THE LICENCE PERIOD AND GIVING THEM TO AN INDEPENDENT PUBLIC BROADCASTER, WHICH IS MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BEST COMMUNITY INTERESTS, IS SIMPLY RETURNING PUBLIC RESOURCES TO THE PEOPLE, HE SAID.
+ IT WILL HELP TO PROMOTE FREE COMPETITION AND ENABLE THE MASS MEDIA TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC, HE ADDED. HE ALSO SAID THAT +WHAT CONTRAVENES THE MODUS OPERANDI OF
A CAPITALIST ECONOMY IS MONOPOLISATION.+
+ANTI-TRUST LAWS HAVE LONG EXISTED IN WELL-DEVELOPED CAPITALIST SOCIETIES TO RESTRICT MONOPOLISATION AND TO SAFEGUARD FREE COMPETITION,+
HE ADDED: +RECENTLY, THE UNBALANCED REPORTS BY THE ELECTRONIC MEDIA ON THE REPORT HAVE CREATED WORRIES THAT SUCH MONOPOLISATION IS ALREADY THREATENING NEWS FREEDOM.+
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