XN000022-1984-04-17 — Page 6

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1984

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BROADCASTING BOARD SEEKS PUBLIC VIEWS

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INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANISATIONS WITH AN INTEREST IN BROADCASTING ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT REPRESENTATIONS TO THE BROADCASTING REVIEW .BOARD.

THE 16-MEMBER BOARD, APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR IN FEBRUARY 1984, IS CONDUCTING AN OVERALL REVIEW OF TELEVISION AND SOUND BROADCASTING TO ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT TO PREPARE AN OVERALL POLICY FOR BROADCASTING IN LINE WITH THE NEEDS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE.

AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, THE HON MR JUSTICE POWER, SAID THE BOARD WAS INVITING PUBLIC REPRESENTATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS SET OUT IN THE TERMS OF REFERENCE.

HE SAID REPRESENTATIONS MAY BE MADE IN RESPECT OF ANY

OR ALL OF THE MATTERS REFERRED TO IN THE TERMS OF REFERENCE, WHICH INCLUDE:

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ASSESSMENT OF THE LONG-TERM NEEDS OF THE LOCAL POPULATION AFTER 1988 FOR BOTH TELEVISION AND SOUND BROADCAST;

EXAMINATION OF TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN RELATED FIELDS AND ASSESSMENT OF THE OPTIONS FOR ORGANISING COMMERCIAL TELEVISION AND RADIO BROADCASTS:

ASSESSMENT OF THE FINANCIAL AND MANPOWER RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE LOCAL BROADCASTING INDUSTRY;

* CONSIDERATION OF THE CHANGES REQUIRED IN THE CONDITIONS

OF ADVERTISING CONTROL;

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ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLE OF RTHK AND GOVERNMENT BROADCASTS AND ASSESSMENT OF THE FUTURE CENSORSHIP AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS.

WITH REGARD TO THE TERM OF REFERENCE CONCERNING THE LONG-TERM NEEDS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AFTER 1988 FOR TELEVISION AND SOUND BROADCAST. MR JUSTICE POWER STRESSED THAT INTERESTED PARTIES REPRESENTING MINORITY GROUPS, FOR EXAMPLE THOSE WITH IMPAIRED HEARING, ARE PARTICULARLY INVITED TO SUBMIT REPRESENTATIONS.

IT IS LIKELY THAT THE BOARD MAY WISH, AFTER CONSIDERING INITIAL REPRESENTATIONS, TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE REPRESENTATIONS, PARTICULARLY THOSE MADE BY PERSONS OR ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN THE BROADCASTING INDUSTRY, SUPPLEMENTED ORALLY OR IN WRITING.

+THE BOARD WILL COMMUNICATE ITS DESIRE TO RECEIVE SUPPLEMENTARY REPRESENTATIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER AUGUST 10, 1984, AND REPRESENTATIONS WILL BE MADE TO A HEARING COMMITTEE WHICH WILL COMMENCE SITTING FOR THIS PURPOSE IN MID-NOVEMBER, HE SAID.

HE ADDED THAT INVITATIONS TO APPEAR BEFORE THE BOARD IN SUPPORT OF REPRESENTATIONS WOULD BE ISSUED BY THE BOARD AT ITS SOLE DISCRETION AND ALL WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS WOULD, UPON RECEIPT, BE TABLED BEFORE THE HEARING COMMITTEE,

/+THE HEARING