XN000022-1987-09-07 — Page 5

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1987

OUTSIDE TV STATION MIGHT BRING UNEQUAL COMPETITION'

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HONG KONG HAS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ITS LONGER TERM INTERESTS WHEN CONSIDERING THE ISSUE OF TELEVISION SIGNALS COMING FROM OUTSIDE THE TERRITORY, THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, MR PETER TSAO, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

SPRAKING AT A LUNCH MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF TSIM SHA TSUI EAST, MR TSAO SAID HE WAS PERSONALLY IN FAVOUR OF VARIETY AND OF CHOICE.

"HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A GENUINE AND REASONABLY GOOD CHOICE OF TELEVISION PROGRAMMES, THE FIRST THING TO BEAR IN MIND IS THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF OUR OWN TELEVISION STATIONS," HE SAID.

MR TSAO RECALLED THE FATE OF COMMERCIAL TELEVISION, WHICH COLLAPSED IN 1979, SAYING THAT THE REASON FOR ITS FAILURE WAS THAT, AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ADVERTISING REVENUE TO SUPPORT TWO CHANNELS ON TVB, TWO ON ATV AND A SINGLE CHANNEL ON CTV.

HE SAID HE WOULD NOT BE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED IF A FOREIGN STATION MERELY SENT SIGNALS TO HONG KONG, EVEN THOUGH THE TELEVISION PROGRAMMES SENT ACROSS HONG KONG BORDERS MIGHT WELL BE SUBJECT TO DIFFERENT CENSORSHIP STANDARDS.

"HOWEVER," HE ADDED, "IF THAT FOREIGN TELEVISION STATION'S INTENTION OF COMING ACROSS INTO HONG KONG IS TO TAKE AWAY SOME OF THE AVAILABLE ADVERTISING REVENUE IN HONG KONG, THEN IT WOULD BE A MATTER

OF CONSIDERABLE CONCERN.'

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"IF THE ADVERTISING REVENUE IS INSUFFICIENT ΤΟ SUPPORT THREE STATIONS: TVB, ATV AND ONE FOREIGN STATION, AT LEAST ONE OF THESE STATIONS WILL SUFFER.

"IF THE FOREIGN STATION WERE ΤΟ HAVE UNFETTERED FREEDOM ΤΟ BROADCAST ANYTHING UNDER THE SUN, WHILE OUR STATIONS WERE SUBJECT ΤΟ STRICT CENSORSHIP STANDARDS, THERE WOULD BE UNEQUAL COMPETITION.

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"IN THAT SITUATION, THE ONE STATION THAT WOULD BE LIKELY то SUFFER MOST WOULD BE A HONG KONG, RATHER THAN A FOREIGN, STATION,' HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A BROADCASTING AUTHORITY AS FROM SEPTEMBER 1 THIS YEAR, MR TSAO SAID THE MAIN PURPOSE OF SETTING UP THE BROADCASTING AUTHORITY WAS TO ENCOURAGE AND ENLARGE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE REGULATION OF THE TELEVISION INDUSTRY.

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HE SAID THAT UNLIKE THE PREVIOUS TELEVISION AUTHORITY WHO WAS A PUBLIC OFFICER - THE COMMISSIONER FOR TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING - THE BROADCASTING AUTHORITY WAS MADE UP OF MEMBERS, NINE BEING SELECTED FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND REMAINING THREE BEING OFFICIAL MEMBERS.

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