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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1991-
THIS WAS LAID DOWN, AFTER EXTENSIVE PUBLIC CONSULTATION, IN THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD'S REPORT PUBLISHED IN 1985, HE SAID.
"WE
HAVE STEADFASTLY PURSUED THIS POLICY AND HAVE MADE IMPRESSIVE PROGRESS THIS YEAR, HE ADDED.
MR SO SAID IN RADIO BROADCASTING, MORE CHOICES IN THE FORM OF 15 CHANNELS, WITH MANY BROADCASTING IN FM STEREO, WERE NOW OFFERED AFTER A SECOND COMMERCIAL RADIO SERVICE WAS LAUNCHED IN JULY THIS YEAR.
IN THE FIELD OF TELEVISION, A PAN-ASIAN REGIONAL SATELLITE SERVICE BASED IN HONG KONG LICENSED LAST DECEMBER WOULD PROVIDE FOUR 24-HOUR CHANNELS, BROADCASTING MUSIC, SPORTS, NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS, AND MANDARIN PROGRAMMES.
"THIS INCREASE IN THE CHOICE OF PROGRAMMES IS MATCHED BY IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF TRANSMISSION WHEN IN JULY THIS YEAR MULTI-CHANNEL SOUND TELEVISION BROADCASTING WAS INTRODUCED.
NICAM (NEAR RECEIVE
"BY USING THE NEW TECHNOLOGY, COMMONLY CALLED INSTANTANEOUS COMPANDING AND MULTIPLEXING), VIEWERS CAN NOW EXCELLENT HIGH FIDELITY STEREO SOUND EFFECTS, OR A CHOICE OF UP TO THREE LANGUAGES ON A MULTI-LINGUAL PROGRAMME," HE ADDED.
THE SECRETARY SAID THREE MAIN TYPES OF TV BROADCASTERS IDENTIFIED IN HONG KONG.
WERE
THEY WERE THE TERRESTRIAL FREE-TO-AIR TV BROADCASTERS OFFERING PROGRAMMES FOR MASS ENTERTAINMENT AND INFORMATION FOR THE LOCAL AUDIENCE; A REGIONAL SATELLITE TELEVISION BROADCASTING SERVICE WITH A TARGET AUDIENCE MUCH WIDER THAN HONG KONG, OFFERING LITTLE OR NO LOCAL PROGRAMMING; AND A SUBSCRIPTION MULTI-CHANNEL TV SERVICE COVERING A WIDE CHOICE TO MEET THE INTERESTS AND TASTES OF DIFFERENT SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY.
"IN DRAWING UP A REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR THE LICENSING OF TV BROADCASTERS, THE ADMINISTRATION MUST HAVE REGARD ΤΟ THE DIFFERENT NATURE OF THESE TV BROADCASTERS AND CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY COULD CO-EXIST IN HEALTHY COMPETITION,
T
HE SAID.
MR SO SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS IN THE FINAL STAGE OF A REVIEW OF A LICENSING FRAMEWORK FOR SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION.
"WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO ANNOUNCE DETAILS ON THE LICENSING FAMEWORK FOR SUBSCRIPTION TV BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WITH A VIEW TO ISSUING LICENCES BY THE SUMMER OF 1992," HE SAID.
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS IN FAVOUR OF A TECHNOLOGY APPROACH, AND THAT PROPOSALS WOULD BE ASSESSED BROADCASTING STANDPOINT.
PRIMARILY
NEUTRAL ON A
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