7
t
TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1984
SHE STRESSED THAT THERE MUST NOT BE PRESSURE OF CENSORSHIP, VISIBLE OR INVISIBLE, BY THE STATE AND THERE MUST BE NO ADMINISTRATIVE, LEGAL OR FISCAL DETERRENT TO THE DISSEMINATION AS WELL AS RECEPTION OF NEWS.
SHE CALLED ON MEMBERS OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION IN THEIR STUDY OF THE HONG KONG LAW IN THE CONTEXT OF 1997, TO GIVE CONSIDERATION TO THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE SO AS TO PREVENT ANY RETROGRESSION OF THE FREEDOMS OF THE MEDIA THAT HONG KONG HAD COME TO TAKE FOR GRANTED.
+CONCERN HAS BEEN VOICED BY MANY JOURNALISTS ABOUT THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE, WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO CHAPTER 268 WHEREBY THE GOVERNMENT IS GIVEN EXTENSIVE POWER, SHE SAID.
+
BUT SHE ADDED THAT IN REALITY, THE GOVERNMENT HAD ADOPTED AN EXTREMELY LIBERAL ATTITUDE AND HAD ONLY TAKEN ACTION WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE HAD BEEN SERIOUSLY THREATENED.
+THERE IS ANXIETY, HOWEVER, THAT THIS PRACTICE COULD END IF THE STATE SHOULD AT SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE CHOOSE TO ADHERE TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW, AND CONSEQUENTLY THE FREEDOM THAT IS BEING ENJOYED BY THE MEDIA COULD BE SERIOUSLY UNDERMINED, OR WORSE STILL, COMPLETELY STIFLED, SHE SAID.
+ THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT COULD PROVIDE MUCH ASSURANCE IF IT WERE TO CONTAIN SPECIFIC MENTION TO THE EFFECT THAT PRESENT PRACTICES WILL BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE BEYOND 1997, SHE ADDED.
SHE ALSO BELIEVED THAT THERE SHOULD NOT BE DOUBLE STANDARDS APPLICABLE TO FOREIGN AND LOCAL JOURNALISTS AND JOURNAL 1SM.
+ IN OTHER WORDS, THE FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION INTO AND OUT OF HONG KONG MUST BE PRESERVED.
+ANYTHING LESS WILL THREATEN THE EXISTING INTERNATIONAL PROF ILE OF HONG KONG IN THE WORLD ARENA, AND JEOPARDISE OUR POSITION AS A COMMUNICATION, TRADE AND FINANCE CENTRE, SHE SAID.
ON THE ADVOCATION OF THE JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION TO SET UP
A MEDIA COUNCIL, SHE EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA WHICH, SHE SAID, WAS PROPOSED NOT ONLY AS A MEANS TO SELF-REGULATE AND UPGRADE THE STANDARD OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL ISM BUT ALSO AS A SAFEGUARD AGAINST DIRECT OR INDIRECT INTERFERENCE OF THE FREE MEDIA.
SHE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO INITIATE A MOVE TOWARDS THE SETTING UP OF SUCH A COUNCIL AS A MATTER OF PRIORITY.
/8
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.