XN000022-1984-07-24 — Page 8

TUESDAY, JULY 24,

1984

6

PRESS FREEDOM CONTRIBUTES TO PROSPERITY

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CHOW

FREEDOM OF THE MEDIA HAD BEEN A CONTRIBUTORY FACTOR TO HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY AND WAS BY NOW AN INHERENT PART OF OUR EXISTENCE+, THE HON SELINA CHOW SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

+ IT IS NOT A PRIVILEGE BUT A RIGHT THAT WE SHOULD ALL GUARD JEALOUSLY, SHE STRESSED.

MRS CHOW WAS SPEAKING IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON SOCIAL SYSTEM AND THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG+.

+APART FROM AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN, HONG KONG UNDOUBTEDLY ENJOYS THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF FREEDOM IN THIS REGARD IN THE WHOLE OF ASIA, SHE SAID.

SHE BELIEVED THAT SUCH FREEDOM WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE TOLERANCE OF THE GOVERNMENT WHICH, DESPITE ITS BEING CONSTITUTIONALLY COLONIAL, HAD ACKNOWLEDGED AND RESPECTED THE ROLE OF A FREE PRESS AS AN ESSENTIAL MIRROR OF PUBLIC OPINION IN HONG KONG'S UNIQUE ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM.

+THIS POLICY OF LEAST GOVERNMENTAL INTERFERENCE HAS ENABLED OUR PRESS TO DEVELOP ACCORDING TO MARKET DEMANDS, SHE SAID.

AS A RESULT, SHE SAID, HONG KONG HAD A VERY VIBRANT AND COMPETITIVE+ PRESS COMPRISING 68 NEWSPAPERS WITH A TOTAL CIRCULATION OF 1 550 000 A DAY.

IN ADDITION, MILLIONS OF VIEWERS AND LISTENERS WERE SERVED BY TELEVISION AND RADIO BROADCASTS.

TURNING TO HOW THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED OR DEVELOPED AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF 1997, SHE POINTED OUT THAT THE SIZE OF THE MEDIA SHOULD NOT BE ARBITRARILY TAMPERED WITH BY FUTURE AUTHORITIES,

+MANY BELIEVE THERE IS SAFETY IN NUMBERS, FOR HEALTHY COMPETITION FUNCTIONS AS CHECKS AND BALANCES WITHIN THE PROFESSION WHILE OFFERING A CHOICE TO THE PUBLIC,+ SHE SAID.

+ JOURNALISTS ARE ALSO KEEN TO POINT OUT THAT THE PRESENT HEALTHY MARKET SITUATION COULD BE UPSET AND UNEMPLOYMENT UNNECESSARILY CREATED SHOULD GOVERNMENT IN FUTURE STEP IN TO CUT DOWN THE NUMBER, SHE ADDED.

MRS CHOW MAINTAINED THAT THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA AS THE SOCIAL CONSCIENCE MUST NOT ONLY BE UPHELD BUT BE ALLOWED ROOM TO DEVELOP FURTHER,

+ IT SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR SOCIAL JUSTICE THROUGH INFORMED, RESPONSIBLE AND OBJECTIVE COMMENTARY AND CRITICISM WITHOUT FEAR OF PERSECUTION, SHE SAID.

/SHE STRESSED