WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1986
3
+AT FIRST, THERE WILL BE STRICTER CONTROLS ON TOBACCO ADVERTISMENTS BEING SHOWN ON TV THROUGH REVISIONS TO THE ADVERTISING CODE OF PRACTICE. THESE WILL BE BROUGHT INTO EFFECT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, HE SAID.
+ THE SECOND PHASE WILL BE INTRODUCED IN DECEMBER 1988 WHEN NEW LICENCES ARE ISSUED TO THE TV STATIONS. THERE WILL BE A BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 4.30 PM AND 10.30 PM. THIS WILL EXTEND BY FOUR HOURS A DAY THE TIME WITHIN WHICH TOBACCO ADVERTISING WILL BE PROHIBITED.
+SIMILAR RESTRICTIONS WILL BE INTRODUCED FOR RADIO SERVICES FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW LICENCE PERIOD IN AUGUST 1989.
+ THE THIRD AND FINAL PHASE WILL BE THE IMPOSITION OF A TOTAL BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP ON TELEVISION AND RADIO IN DECEMBER 1990.
+ IN THE MEANTIME, THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE EXAMINING WAYS OF RESTRICTING TOBACCO ADVERTISING IN OTHER FORMS.+
REFERRING TO THE RENEWAL OF EXISTING TELEVISION LICENCES, MR THOMAS SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD DECIDED THAT WHEN THE EXISTING TV LICENCES EXPIRED IN DECEMBER 1988, THE PRESENT LICENSEES WOULD BE OFFERED A NEW LICENCE FOR A 12-YEAR PERIOD TO THE YEAR 2000 ON REVISED CONDITIONS AND SUBJECT TO A MID-TERM REVIEW IN 1994.
+ THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS THAT THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF INVITING COMPETITIVE TENDERS FROM PROSPECTIVE LICENSEES RULE OUT THAT ALTERNATIVE WHICH THE BRB FAVOURED,+ HE SAID.
+ THE FACT IS THAT THE LAND, TRANSMISSION EQUIPMENT AND HARDWARE PRESENTLY EMPLOYED ON TV BROADCASTING IS OWNED BY THE EXISTING LICENSEES. IT IS UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT OUTSIDERS TO BE INTERESTED IN MAKING THE MASSIVE INVESTMENT TO ACQUIRE AND EQUIP TRANSMISSION FACILITIES ON THE NECESSARY SCALE GIVEN THE POTENTIAL REVENUE FROM A RELATIVELY SMALL MARKET.
+THE PROPOSED RENEWAL PERIOD OF 12 YEARS IS LONGER THAN THE PERIOD OF EIGHT YEARS RECOMMENDED BY THE BRB.
+BUT IT WILL GIVE THE BROADCASTING INDUSTRY THE CONFIDENCE TO PLAN AHEAD AND TO MAKE THE NECESSARY INVESTMENT TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF TELEVISION SO THAT THE INDUSTRY CAN FACE UP TO THE DRASTIC AND RAPID POLITICAL CHANGES IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
+AT THE SAME TIME A MID-TERM REVIEW WILL ENABLE THE LICENCE CONDITIONS TO BE AMENDED WHERE NECESSARY IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE, AND TO GUARD AGAINST ABUSE OF A 12-YEAR LICENCE PERIOD.+
/ON THE