XN000022-1986-03-19 — Page 9

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986

+ IN ADDITION, RTHK SHOULD BE FINANCED BY PUBLIC FUNDS THROUGH LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURES, AND BY A COMBINATION OF INCOMES, SUCH AS CHARGES FROM THE COMMERCIAL TELEVISION LICENSEES FOR RELEASE OF ITS PRODUCTIONS AND COMMERCIAL SPONSORSHIP AND ADVERTISING,+ HE SAID.

HE SOUNDED A NOTE OF WARNING AGAINST THE ARGUMENT THAT RTHK BE DISESTABLISHED FROM THE GOVERNMENT MACHINERY AS THE MOST DESIRABLE MEANS OF ACQUIRING INDEPENDENCE.

+HIVING-OFF IS LIKELY TO BE PERCEIVED BY THE PUBLIC AS A DELIBERATE GOVERNMENT MOVE TO RELINQUISH MORE AND MORE OF ITS RESPONSIBILITIES AND OBLIGATIONS IN THE SENSITIVE TRANSITION PERIOD, THUS CAUSING UNNECESSARY EROSION OF CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT,+ HE WARNED.

DR HO ALSO WARNED THAT DISESTABLISHMENT, IF NOT HANDLED JUDICIOUSLY, WOULD CREATE DISSATISFACTION AMONG SOME SEGMENTS OF THE STAFF AND HENCE WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THEIR MORALE AND LOYALTY. TURNING TO THE LICENCE PERIOD FOR THE TELEVISION INDUSTRY, DR HO WAS OF THE VIEW THAT IT SHOULD BE FOR 15 YEARS RATHER THÂN EIGHT YEARS AS PROPOSED BY THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD.

HE NOTED THAT THE TELEVISION INDUSTRY REQUIRED HEAVY CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN FACILITIES, TECHNOLOGICAL INSTALLATIONS, HUMAN RESOURCES AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT.

HE BELIEVED A LONG-TERM LICENCE WOULD INDUCE THE LICENSEES TO ACQUIRE TOP-RATED PROGRAMME RIGHTS AND MAKE LONG-TERM PLANS TO TRAIN PRODUCERS, ARTISTS AND SCRIPT WRITERS WHO WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN PRODUCING QUALITY PROGRAMMES.

BUSINESS CONFIDENCE IN THE TERRITORY WOULD ALSO BE BOOSTED,

HE SAID.

HE SAID THAT AN EIGHT-YEAR LICENCE MIGHT DETER A LICENSEE FROM INJECTING SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENTS TO IMPROVE THE TELEVISION STATION'S CAPABILITY, THUS PERPETUATING THE CURRENT STATE OF LOPSIDED DOMINANCE PREVAILING IN THE INDUSTRY.

+THIS WILL WORK AGAINST THE IDEAL OF FAIR COMPETITION WHICH THE BRB REPORT WOULD LIKE TO REALISE, HE SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AT REGULAR INTERVALS, REINFORCED BY THE POWER TO IMPOSE NEW LICENSING CONDITIONS, WERE EFFECTIVE SAFEGUARDS AGAINST ABUSE OF A LONG LICENCE PERIOD AND THAT THERE WERE ALREADY OTHER EXAMPLES OF THE GOVERNMENT GRANTING LICENCES TO OPERATORS OF SOME IMPORTANT PROJECTS BEYOND 1997.

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