XN000022-1986-03-19 — Page 37

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986

HE SAID IT WAS ONLY NATURAL THAT ADVERTISING OF UNLAWFUL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES SHOULD NOT BE BROADCAST, BUT THOSE WHICH WERE LAWFUL SHOULD BE GIVEN THE CHANCE OF BEING AIRED.

+NONETHELESS, APART FROM STRENGTHENING THE WARNING

THAT SMOKING IS HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH, THE BROADCASTING TIME OF CIGARETTE ADVERTISEMENTS SHOULD BE SO RESTRICTED THAT IT WILL NOT FALL INTO THE PERIOD DURING WHICH MOST YOUNGSTERS ARE VIEWING/LISTENING TO THE PROGRAMMES,+ HE SAID.

MR LIU STRESSED THAT SINCE HONG KONG WAS AN IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION CENTRE, TO MAINTAIN FREE TRANSMISSION OF INFORMATION WOULD BE HIGHLY BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SECTORS AS WELL AS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF VARIOUS ASPECTS OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS.

+ DO NOT WISH TO SEE THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS AFFECT INFORMATION AND ADVERTISING FREEDOM IN HONG KONG,+ HE ADDED.

PROPOSALS HINDER FINANCIAL VIABILITY

****

A LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBER TODAY (WEDNESDAY) QUERIED WHY THE GOVERNMENT HAD NOT CONSIDERED THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING SOME CONTROL. ALONG THE LINES OF THE SCHEMES OF CONTROL WHICH EXISTED FOR SOME OF THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANIES, OVER THE COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES OF TELEVISION LICENSEES.

INSTEAD, A SLEDGEHAMMER APPROACH WAS BEING ADOPTED, THE HON HELMUT SOHMEN SAID DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD REPORT, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HE POINTED OUT THAT OTHER FRANCHISED ENTERPRISES IN HONG KONG SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENT CONTROL OR SUPERVISION WERE GENERALLY PERMITTED TO ENGAGE IN OTHER CORPORATE ACTIVITIES.

HE SAID THE BOARD'S PROPOSALS ON CORPORATE STRUCTURE SEEMED TO BE INFLUENCED TOO MUCH BY THE RELATIVE MARKET SHARES OF THE TWO TELEVISION LICENSEES AND DISREGARDED THE REAL COMMERCIAL AND MANAGERIAL REASONS FOR THIS STATE OF AFFAIRS.

+THE REPORT PROPOSES SOLUTIONS WHICH WOULD MEAN RESTRAINTS ON LEGITIMATE CORPORATE ACTIVITIES WHICH HAVE UP TO NOW BEEN ACCEPTED, IF NOT ENCOURAGED, AND WHICH ARE NOT UNCOMMON IN OTHER COUNTRIES, HE SAID.

/BY FORCING