XN000022-1986-03-19 — Page 22

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986

AS TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED FURTHER, MR CHENG SAID, IT WOULD ALMOST BE CERTAIN THAT HONG KONG AS A RENOWNED CITY OF FREE ENTERPRISE WOULD SEE THE FEASIBILITY OF CONTINUING TECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS IN BROADCASTING INCLUDING RECEPTION OF DIRECT SATELLITE TRANSMISSIONS AND MICROWAVE TELEVISION BROADCASTING.

+ IT IS THEREFORE IMPRORTANT FOR GOVERNMENT TO GIVE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO ITS FUTURE POLICIES WITH REGARD TO THEIR SERVICES AND CONTROL,+ HE SAID.

MR CHENG ALSO ENDORSED THE POSTMASTER GENERAL'S PROPOSAL TO EXTEND THE EXISTING VHF/FM TRANSMISSION SERVICES AND THEIR COVERAGE.

+SIMILARLY, I SUPPORT THE VIEWS THAT THE TELEVISION BROADCASTERS SHOULD USE A COMMON BUILDING, A COMMON POWER SUPPLY AND A COMMON ANTENNA TOWER AT EACH OF THE PRIME HILL-TOPS SO THAT COVERAGE CAN BE SATISFACTORILY ACHIEVED AND VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL,+ HE SAID.

THIS PROVISION WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY SERVE THE PURPOSE OF ERADICATING THE EXISTING UNFAIR SITUATION WHICH WORKED AGAINST THE INTERESTS OF BROADCASTERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC, MR CHENG ADDED.

PUBLIC FUNDS SHOULD SUPPORT BROADCASTER

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THE SETTING UP OF A PUBLIC BROADCASTER AS PROPOSED BY THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD REPORT WAS STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE REPORT, MR CHEONG- LEEN SAID THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER SHOULD BE FORMED AS AN INDEPENDENT CORPORATION WITH AN INDEPENDENT BOARD APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

HE NOTED THAT THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER SHOULD ABSORB RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG AND SAID HE WAS IN FAVOUR OF THE EVENTUAL DISE STABLISHMENT OF RTHK, BUT FELT IT SHOULD BE DONE IN TWO STAGES WITH THE SECOND STAGE TAKING PLACE PERHAPS WITHIN THREE YEARS AFTER THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER WAS SET UP.

+1 AM NOT AT ALL CONVINCED THAT THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER COULD BE COMMERCIALLY VIABLE,+ MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID.

HE THEREFORE SUGGESTED THAT IT SHOULD BE SUPPORTED BY PUBLIC FUNDS THROUGH AN ANNUAL GRANT PROVIDED FOR BY LEGISLATION, AND BY ALLOWING THE BROADCASTER TO SEEK ADVERTISING REVENUE, AS WELL AS CORPORATE OR OTHER TYPES OF SPONSORSHIP.

/MR CHEONG-LEEN