XN000022-1986-03-19 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986

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PHASED TOBACCO AD BAN URGED

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TOBACCO ADVERTISING SHOULD BE PROHIBITED IN PHASES AS A MEANS OF REDUCING THE TIME DURING WHICH YOUNG PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED TO SUCH ADVERTISEMENTS, THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD'S REPORT, MR CHEUNG SUGGESTED THAT THAT PRESENT BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING BETWEEN 4.30 AM-6.30 PM BE EXTENDED TO 8.30 PM, AND THEN TO 11.30 PM.

MR CHEUNG SAID THAT AT THE SAME TIME THE STYLE OF THE ADVERTISEMENTS SHOULD BE CONTROLLED IN ORDER TO AVOID THE IMPLANTING OF ANY SENSUOUS OR ILLUSIONARY IMAGES ABOUT SMOKING.

+THIS METHOD WOULD REDUCE THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF ADVERTISEMENTS AND IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW BREATHING SPACE FOR THE TELEVISION STATIONS AND ADVERTISING AGENTS TO FINANCIALLY ADJUST BEFORE TOBACCO ADVERTISEMENTS ARE COMPLETELY BANNED,+ HE SAID.

+CONCURRENTLY THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD FURTHER STRENGTHEN PUBLICITY ON THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF SMOKING AS A MEANS TO IMPLEMENT THE ANTI-SMOKING POLICY,+ HE ADDED.

ON OTHER ASPECTS OF THE REPORT, MR CHEUNG SAID HE DID NOT SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE PROPOSED PUBLIC BROADCASTER BE ALLOCATED THE 7 PM 8 PM TIME SLOT OF THE COMMERCIAL TELEVISION STATIONS.

HE SAID THE RE-ALLOCATION OF THE TIME SLOT DID NOT GUARANTEE A SELF-SUFFICIENT PUBLIC BROADCASTER, YET IT WOULD HAVE A TREMENDOUS FINANCIAL EFFECT ON THE COMMERCIAL STATIONS.

HE FURTHER POINTED OUT THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSAL MIGHT RESULT IN A LOWERING OF PROGRAMME STANDARDS OF THE COMMERCIAL STATIONS BECAUSE OF A REDUCTION IN INCOME.

THEREFORE MR CHEUNG SUPPORTED THE WEEKEND OPTION, WHICH WAS ALSO RECOMMENDED BY THE BOARD, AS A REASONABLE SOLUTION, BECAUSE RADIO TELEVISION MONG KONG WAS ALREADY TAKING A SIZEABLE PORTION OF THE WEEKEND AIR-TIME.

THE WEEKEND OPTION WOULD ACCOMMODATE THE DESIRE TO HAVE A BETTER PROGRAMME CHOICE WITHOUT AFFECTING THE COMMERCIAL STATIONS TOO SERIOUSLY, HE ADDED.

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