-
5 -
Criticism on Broadcasting Bill refuted
The Secretary for Recreation and Culture, Mr T H Chau, today (Tuesday) refuted Democratic Party criticisms that suspending work on the Broadcasting Bill would harm competitiveness and prevent Hong Kong from keeping pace with technology.
Mr Chau pointed out that, on the contrary, unless priority was given to pay television review and regulating video-on-demand, it would not be possible to bring the legislation up-to-date with new technologies, or to promote competition in the pay television market.
"It was absurd to suggest that, because priority was being given to more important tasks, we were appeasing China," he said.
On Democratic Party proposals to draft a private member's bill amending Section 13C of the Telecommunication Ordinance, Mr Chau pointed out that the Government was already committed to amending this provision.
"When I announced plans to suspend work on the Broadcasting Bill earlier today, I had said that, as amending Section 13C was a priority task, it would be done in advance of the Broadcasting Bill, by tackling it together with other amendments to the Telecommunication Ordinance.
"These amendments would be considered in the light of the Law Reform Commission's report due in March and public consultation thereafter," he added.
End