"We intend to bring forward these amendments during the current legislative session if possible, or early in the following session."
Meanwhile, Mr Chau proposed to remove the following with a view to liberalise the television market:
the restrictions preventing satellite broadcasters from bidding for domestic licences under the Television Ordinance, including pay TV, VOD programme services, and free-to-air licences;
the requirement on licensed satellite broadcasters to pay a service origination charge, in order to promote Hong Kong as a regional broadcasting hub;
the obstacles to domestic licensees competing in the regional satellite broadcasting market; and
the restriction on carrying advertising, for both the existing and future pay TV licensees with effect from June 1, 1996, subject to appropriate Codes of Practice.
The Government also saw no grounds to limit the number of channels which pay TV licensees may provide, or the amount of material which VOD programme service licensees can make available.
"There are no maximum restrictions on the current pay TV licensee, and we do not propose to introduce any," Mr Chau said.
On royalty payments, Mr Chau noted that the top rate at which royalties were payable by ATV and TVB was reduced in 1993, in anticipation of competition from Hutchvision, which was given permission to launch Cantonese programmes on Star TV in the same year.
"As you know, this competition has not yet occurred, although broadcasters continue to enjoy the benefits of the concession.
"We are therefore not persuaded that a further reduction is justified. However, we remain ready to consider the representations of broadcasters, and to reconsider our stance if it can be demonstrated that a fundamental change in the television market has already occurred," Mr Chau said.