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WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1988
TURNING TO THE NEED FOR GUIDELINES FOR
CINEMA OPERATORS WHEN DEALING WITH CATEGORY III FILMS, HE SAID: "THE COMMISSIONER FOR TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING HAS ALREADY DRAFTED A SET OF ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDELINES TO CINEMA OPERATORS.
"THE OPERATORS, IN PERMITTING
PEOPLE
THEIR CINEMAS, ARE ENTITLED TO TAKE STEPS TO DUTIES ARE DISCHARGED.
TO GAIN ADMITTANCE TO SEE THAT THEIR LEGAL
"THESE STEPS INCLUDE REQUIRING PERSONS WHOM THEY SUSPECT OF BEING UNDER-AGE TO SHOW PROOF OF THEIR AGE AND EXCLUDING THEM IF THEY ARE UNDER-AGED.
"CLEARLY, THE EFFORT REQUIRED TO DO THIS IS MORE THAN IS REQUIRED UNDER THE PRESENT LEGISLATION.
"BUT CINEMA OPERATORS
ARE BY NO MEANS OBLIGED ΤΟ SHOW CATEGORY III FILMS: THEY ARE FREE TO CARRY ON OPERATING WITH CATEGORY I AND II FILMS AS AT PRESENT."
HE FORESAW THAT CERTAIN CINEMAS MIGHT BECOME SPECIALISED IN CATEGORY III FILMS IN FUTURE.
ON WHETHER THE CURRENT STANDARDS OF CENSORSHIP WOULD BE TIGHTENED TO ACCOMMODATE CATEGORY III FILMS IN THE FUTURE, MR TSAO SAID HE HAD BEEN ASSURED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING THAT THE CURRENT STANDARDS HAD NOT BEEN TIGHTENED.
"FOR THE FUTURE AND IF THE BILL IS PASSED INTO LAW, FILMS CURRENTLY CLASSIFIED AS SUITABLE FOR GENERAL EXHIBITION WOULD BE CATEGORY I; THOSE CURRENTLY CLASSIFIED AS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN WOULD BE CATEGORY II.
"ANY FILMS WHICH GOES BEYOND CATEGORY II BUT NEVERTHELESS CAN BE APPROVED FOR RESTRICTED EXHIBITION TO ADULTS WILL BE CLASSIFIED CATEGORY III."
AS
AS TO THE ISSUE OF UNDER-AGE VIEWERS, MR TSAO NOTED THAT IT WAS COMMON GROUND THAT UNDER-AGE PERSONS CAUGHT IN CINEMAS WATCHING CATEGORY III FILMS SHOULD NOT BE DEEMED TO HAVE COMMITTED AN OFFENCE.
"MEMBERS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT SUCH YOUNG PERSONS SHOULD BE PROPERLY INDENTIFIED AND THAT LETTERS SHOULD BE SENT TO THEIR PARENTS TO SERVE AS A DETERRENT, HE SAID.
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"THIS STEP WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.'
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/ON A