XN000022-1986-03-19 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986

IT SHOULD BE SUBVENTED BY GOVERNMENT WITH THE SAME RULES FOR SPONSORSHIP THAT PRESENTLY APPLIED, WHICH MEANT THERE SHOULD BE NO SALE OF COMMERCIAL SPOTS BUT ONLY INSTITUTIONAL SPONSORSHIP, SHE SAID.

ON THE AIR-TIME FOR THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER, MRS CHOW SAID SHE DID NOT SUPPORT THE SEVEN TO EIGHT WEEKDAY STRIP NOR THE WEEKEND OPTION.

+ THE FORMER AUDIENCE MIX PLACES LIMITATION ON THE PROGRAMME TYPE OF PUBLIC SERVICE PRODUCTION WHILE THE LATTER REQUIRES RTHK TO ESTABLISH ITSELF AS A WEEKEND STATION, WHICH IS NOT A ROLE IT HAS HITHERTO ASSUMED, + SHE SAID.

SHE QUERIED WHETHER THERE WAS A NEED OR CALL FOR A PUBLIC SERVICE STATION AT ALL.

+ IN MY VIEW PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAMMES INSPIRED AND INITIATED BY FACTORS OTHER THAN COMMERCIAL PROFITS SERVE A MUCH MORE VALUABLE PURPOSE AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE OF EXISTING COMMERCIAL SERVICES. PROVIDED THEY ARE GIVEN THE PROFESSIONAL RESPECT THEY DESERVE AND THE TIME SLOTS THEY BELONG TO IN THESE SCHEDULES,+ SHE SAID.

+THIS WOULD MEAN OF COURSE THAT THE AUTHORITY WHICH IS LUMBERED WITH THE TASK OF ENFORCING THE NEW LICENSING CONDITIONS, MUST BE GIVEN THE POWERS, BY LEGISLATION, AND MUST HAVE THE GUMPTION TO USE THOSE POWERS, EVEN IF IT MEANS STANDING UP TO PERSUASIVE LOBBYING OR FIERCE OPPOSITION BY THE COMMERCIAL COMPANIES, WHEN IT IS SATISFIED THAT PUBLIC INTEREST IS BEING SERVED, SHE STRESSED.

ON THE PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A BROADCASTING AUTHORITY, MRS CHOW SAID IT WAS +A DEFINITE IMPROVEMENT ON PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS+.

HOWEVER, SHE SAID IT WAS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT PROFESSIONALS WERE INCLUDED IN THE AUTHORITY SO THAT THE INDUSTRY WOULD NOT BE REGULATED ENTIRELY BY PEOPLE WHO COULD ONLY ASSESS POINTS PUT FORWARD BY THE INDUSTRY AS OUTSIDERS AND ON A THEORETICAL LEVEL, WITH NEITHER THE INSIGHT NOR THE PRACTICAL UNDERSTANDING SO VERY NECESSARY AS THE BASIS OF JUDGEMENT.

LASTLY, MRS CHOW SAID SHE DID NOT SEE THE NEED FOR A COMPLAINTS

TRIBUNAL.

WHILE ACCEPTING THAT THERE MIGHT BE A NEED FOR COMMUNITY INPUT IN THE ASSESSMENT OF WHETHER STANDARDS HAD BEEN BREACHED BY THE INDUSTRY, MRS CHOW BELIEVED THIS COULD BE EASILY ENSURED BY THE APPOINTMENT OF ASSESSORS TO ASSIST JUDGES WHEN BROADCASTERS WERE TAKEN TO COURT, WITHOUT THE SETTING UP OF YET FURTHER MACHINERY OUTSIDE THE EXISTING JUDICIAL SYSTEM.

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