XN000022-1986-03-19 — Page 25

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986

+RTHK SHOULD BE TOTALLY INDEPENDENT+

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NOT ONLY SHOULD RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG (RTHK) BE INDEPENDENT BUT IT SHOULD BE SEEN BY THE PUBLIC THAT IT COULD REALLY KEEP THE INITIATIVE IN ITS OWN HANDS, THE HON CHUNG PUI-LAM SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD (BRB) REPORT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR CHUNG SAID UPON RTHK'S INDEPENDENCE, THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY FOR DECISION-MAKING IN IT SHOULD REST WITH A STATUTORY CORPORATION.

HE SUGGESTED THAT THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS SHOULD BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT, WITH THE GREAT MAJORITY OF ITS MEMBERS BEING UNOFFICIALS.

THE BOARD SHOULD ALSO BE EMPOWERED TO WORK OUT THE PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE OF ITS STAFF WHO WOULD THEN NO LONGER BE CIVIL SERVANTS.

CONCERNING THE AIRTIME FOR THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER,

MR CHUNG THOUGHT THE WEEKEND OPTION WAS THE MOST DESIRABLE.

HE SAID: +IN COMPARISON WITH THE OPTION OF SHARING THE PRESENT SERVICES WITH THE LICENSEES AT THE PRIME TIME PERIODS OF TO 8 PM THROUGHOUT THE WEEK (SERVICE SHARING OPTION), THE WEEKEND OPTION WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER WITH A MORE SEPARATE ENTITY OF ITS OWN.

+PEOPLE CAN EASILY IDENTIFY THOSE PROGRAMMES WHICH ARE PRODUCED BY THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER, THUS AVOIDING THE PRESENT SITUATION WHERE SOME RTHK PROGRAMMES ARE CONFUSED WITH PROGRAMMES PRODUCED BY THE COMMERCIAL LICENSEES.

+ IT WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE PROGRAMMES WITH SOME CONTINUITY, THUS ACHIEVING THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING THE AUDIENCES WITH A BALANCED OUTPUT OF PROGRAMMES - ENTERTAINMENT AS WELL AS

INFORMATION AND EDUCATION.+

MR CHUNG HOPED THAT THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE IN THE FIELD OF OPEN EDUCATION OR, VORE SPECIFICALLY, IN THE PROVISION OF OPEN EDUCATION COURSES.

AS REGARDS THE FINANCIAL SOURCES OF THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER, HE SAID THAT IT SHOULD BE BORNE BY THE GOVERNMENT BUT SPONSORING OF PROGRAMMES BY ADVERTISING COULD BE ALLOWED SO AS TO OFFSET SOME OF THE EXPENSES.

TO