XN000022-1986-03-19 — Page 28

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986

LASTLY, HE SAID HE AGREED WHOLE HEARTEDLY WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THERE SHOULD BE CABLE TELEVISION AND THE SOONER THE BETTER.

+THIS SHOULD NOT PERMIT ADVERTISING, SHOULD BE FUNDED BY SUBSCRIPTION BUT MIGHT INCLUDE TIME FOR RTHK PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAMMES, IF THAT IS TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE, HE SUGGESTED.

DIRECT SUBVENTION NEEDED FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTER

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THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROVIDE DIRECT AND SUBSTANTIAL SUBVENTION TO A PUBLIC BROADCASTER, THE HON HO SAI-CHU SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD REPORT.

MR HO SAID HE SUPPORTED THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION THAT RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG BE DEVELOPED INTO AN INDEPENDENT BROADCASTER SO THAT IT MIGHT BE SEEN TO BE FREE FROM GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL IN ORDER TO ENSURE MAXIMUM NEUTRALITY AND OBJECTIVITY IN ITS REPORTING.

HOWEVER, HE WAS NOT IN FAVOUR OF IT BEING ALLOWED TO SELL ADVERTISING DURING ANY OF THE TIME SLOTS WHICH MIGHT BE ALLOCATED TO IT AND THE PROCEEDS BEING USED TO FINANCE ITS OPERATIONS.

HE SAID THIS MIGHT SUBJECT THE RTHK PROGRAMMES TO PREVAILING DEMANDS IN THE ADVERTISING MARKET AND LEAVE THE PUBLIC WITH LITTLE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THE PROGRAMMING OF THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER AND THAT OF THE COMMERCIAL STATIONS.

HE BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS NO ALTERNATIVE, AS FAR AS FINANCING WAS CONCERNED, BUT TO CONTINUE WITH DIRECT AND SUBSTANTIAL GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION OF THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER.

MR HO ADDED THAT HE WAS IN FAVOUR OF RESERVING CERTAIN TIME SLOTS ON A DAILY BASIS FOR THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER RATHER THAN THE USE OF A SINGLE BUT SPECIFIED +PRIME TIME+ SLOT.

HE SAID HIS SUGGESTION WOULD PROVIDE THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER WITH GREATER FLEXIBILITY AND WOULD NOT IMPOSE AN ARTIFICIAL RESTRICTION ON THE RANGE OF PROGRAMMES TO BE BROADCAST.

FURTHERMORE, HE NOTED THAT THE SOLE USE OF THE PRESENT PRIME TIME, NAMELY BETWEEN 7 PM AND 8 PM, MIGHT BE SUBJECT TO CHANGES IN THE VIEWING HABITS OF THE AUDIENCE.

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