TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1989
THE FUTURE OF COMMERCIAL RADIO BROADCASTING IN HONG KONG
THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL TODAY (TUESDAY) APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE THE RENEWAL OF COMMERCIAL RADIO HONG KONG'S (CRHK) BROADCASTING LICENCE WHEN ITS CURRENT LICENCE EXPIRES ON AUGUST 25, 1989.
THE NEW LICENCE WILL BE VALID FOR 12 YEARS AND BE SUBJECT TO A SET OF NEW TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
EXCO ALSO APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE THE AWARD OF A SECOND COMMERCIAL RADIO BROADCASTING LICENCE BY TENDER IN EARLY 1990. FURTHER DETAILS ON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SECOND COMMERCIAL BROADCASTER WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER.
RADIO
THE
EXCO'S DECISION IS BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF BROADCASTING AUTHORITY (BA) WHICH NOTED THAT THERE WAS SCOPE FOR GROWTH IN THE RADIO INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG AND CONSIDERED THAT GREATER COMPETITION TO THE INDUSTRY SHOULD BE INTRODUCED.
IT WAS FURTHER NOTED THAT THE FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO ENTRY INTO RADIO BROADCASTING AS OPPOSED TO TELEVISION WERE FEW AND THAT HONG KONG'S GROWING ECONOMY SHOULD BE ABLE TO SUPPORT TWO COMMERCIAL RADIO BROADCASTING STATIONS PROVIDED THEY OFFERED DIVERSE PROGRAMME SERVICES WHICH APPEALED TO THE PUBLIC.
BASED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF FREQUENCIES, TWO PACKAGES EACH CONTAINING THE SAME NUMBER AND DISTRIBUTION OF FREQUENCIES, 1.E. 1 AM + 2 FM TERRITORY-WIDE CHANNELS WILL BE OFFERED TO THE
THE TWO COMMERCIAL RADIO BROADCASTERS. THE EQUAL SHARE
TO ENSURE COMPETITION ON AN EQUAL FOOTING,
IS
UNDER ITS CURRENT LICENCE, CRHK OPERATES ON THREE AM TERRITORY- WIDE CHANNELS, PROVIDING ONE ENGLISH AND TWO CHINESE SERVICES, THE LATTER SERVICES BEING DUPLICATED ON FM NON-TERRITORY WIDE CHANNELS.
THE DECISION ΤΟ RENEW CRHK'S LICENCE WITHOUT RECOURSE то TENDER WAS MADE IN ORDER TO AVOID POSSIBLE SERVICE DISRUPTION то THE LISTENING PUBLIC BECAUSE OF THE TENDER PROCEDURES AND PREPARATIONS.
THE DECISION WAS ALSO MADE
IN RECOGNITION OF CRHK'S PERFORMANCE AND SUBSTANTIAL FOLLOWING BUILT UP OVER ITS LAST 30 YEARS
OF BROADCASTING.
ACCORDING TO THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, MR PETER TSAO, THE NEW TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR RENEWING CRHK'S LICENCE ARE TO ENSURE THAT AIRWAVES ARE PROPERLY USED IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, ENHANCE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE REGULATORY SYSTEM, AND IMPROVE FURTHER THE QUALITY OF COMMERCIAL SOUND BROADCASTING IN HONG KONG.
THE NEW LICENCING CONDITIONS WILL LAY DOWN CERTAIN "PRINCIPLES OF BROADCASTING" TO WHICH THE LICENSEE SHOULD ADHERE.
/CRHK WILL