32
THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 1988
FILM CENSORSHIP BILL DESIGNED TO REDUCE CENSORSHIP
* * *
CENSORSHIP BILL NOW BEFORE
THE LEGISLATIVE
THE NEW FILM COUNCIL IS DESIGNED TO REDUCE CENSORSHIP, THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, MR PETER (THURSDAY) EVENING,
MR TSAO SAID THE BILL "REPRESENTS A CENSORSHIP STANDARDS BY PERMITTING AN 'ADULT PROVIDES FOR DIRECT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE AND IT REMOVES CENSORSHIP ON ADVERTISING MATERIALS".
TSAO, SAID THIS
LIBERALISATION
OF
FILM' CATEGORY: IT CENSORSHIP PROCESS;
SPEAKING AT THE DINNER OF THE MBA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG AND THE THREE-YEAR MBA (CUHK) ASSOCIATION LIMITED, MR TSAO SAID THE BILL "DOES PROVIDE FOR FILMS ΤΟ BE SHOWN TO RESTRICTED MATURE AUDIENCES WHICH OUR PRESENT LAW DOES NOT"
MAY,
"SEXY OR VIOLENT FILMS WHICH HITHERTO WOULD HAVE BEEN BANNED IF THE LAW IS PASSED, IN FUTURE BE SHOWN TO ADULT AUDIENCES.
"THIS
A TANGIBLE LIBERALISATION AS COMPARED WITH THE PRESENT SYSTEM WHERE, IN THE CASE OF MANY MARGINAL FILMS, THE BABY GETS THROWN OUT WITH THE BATH-WATER, HE SAID.
MR TSAO SAID THE BILL ALSO PROVIDED FOR A GREATER COMMUNITY INPUT INTO THE PROCESS OF FILM CENSORSHIP IN THAT A CENSOR MIGHT VIEW A FILM WITH LAY ADVISERS DRAWN FROM A CROSS SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY.
HE ADDED THAT ANYONE AGGRIEVED BY A CENSOR'S DECISION WOULD BE ABLE TO APPEAL TO A BOARD OF REVIEW COMPRISING A MAJORITY OF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND WITH AN UNOFFICIAL CHAIRMAN.
"IN MY OPINION, SAFEGUARDS AGAINST ANY AUTHORITIES, HE SAID.
HE SAID, "THIS WILL PROVIDE ADEQUATE UNJUSTIFIABLE ACTIONS BY THE CENSORING
ENDING OF
A FURTHER IMPROVEMENT IN THE NEW BILL WAS THE ADVANCE CENSORSHIP OF ADVERTISING MATERIALS FOR FILMS WHICH, MR TSAO SAID, WOULD PUT SUCH MATERIALS ON A PAR WITH THE TREATMENT OF OTHER PUBLICATIONS.
ON THE SO-CALLED "POLITICAL CENSORSHIP" CLAUSE IN THE BILL, MR TSAO SAID HE HAD NO DOUBT THAT THE CLAUSE WAS NECESSARY FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND
"HONG KONG IS AFTER ALL NOT A SELF-SUFFICIENT TERRITORY, OUR COMMERCE AND PROSPERITY ARE CLOSELY LINKED TO THE GOODWILL, AND UNDERSTANDING OF NATIONS ALL ROUND THE WORLD.
ΤΟ JEOPARDISE OUR GOOD SCREENING THE ODD FILM
HE SAID.
"IT SIMPLY DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME RELATIONS WITH ANY TERRITORY FOR THE SAKE OF WHICH DISRESPECTS ITS POLITICAL SENSITIVITIES,
/MR ISAO