XN000022-1987-11-06 — Page 7

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LAN

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1987

REVISED FILM CENSORSHIP BILL PUBLISHLO

PRINCIPLES

A REVISED FILM CENSORSHIP BILL, WHICH SETS OUT THE FOR THE CENSORSHIP OF FILMS AND PROVIDES FOR A THREE TIER CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM, WAS PUBLISHED TODAY (FRIDAY) FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION AND COMMENT.

THE BILL, A SUBSTANTIALLY REVISED VERSION OF THE ONE PUBLISHED FOR INFORMATION AND COMMENT ON APRIL 3, TAKES INTO ACCOUNT COMMENTS FROM THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP ON FILM CLASSIFICATION AND CENSORSHIP, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FILM INDUSTRY, DISTRICT BOARDS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES.

THE BILL CONTINUES TO PROVIDE FOR THE CENSORSHIP OF FILMS ON MORAL AND SOCIAL GROUNDS. IT ALSO SEEKS ΤΟ RETAIN CENSORSHIP GROUNDS OF MAINTAINING GOOD RELATIONS WITH OTHER TERRITORIES.

ON

TO

THE CENSORSHIP CRITERIA HAVE, HOWEVER, BEEN REVISED SEPARATE THE THREE MAIN PRINCIPLES, THAT IS, MORAL, SOCIAL AND GOOD RELATIONS, FROM OTHER FACTORS WHICH ARE TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN CONSIDERING THE MAIN PRINCIPLES.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THIS WOULD ENABLE THE FILM INDUSTRY TO HAVE A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CENSORSHIP CRITERIA AND ENSURE CONSISTENCY IN THE WORK OF THE CENSORS.

AS REGARDS THE POWER ΤΟ CENSOR FILMS ON GROUNDS OF GOOD RELATIONS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE FIRST ROUND OF CONSULTATIONS INDICATED GENERAL PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF, AND SUPPORT FOR, THE NEED TO RETAIN SUCH A PROVISION. IN VIEW OF THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THIS PROVISION HAS BEEN TIGHTENED.

GOOD

UNDER THE NEW BILL, THE EXISTING REQUIREMENT OF "DAMAGE RELATIONS WITH OTHER TERRITORIES" HAS BEEN

QUALIFIED ΤΟ THE EXTENT THAT A CENSOR MAY ONLY DISAPPROVE A FILM UNDER THIS CRITERION IF НЕ IS SATISFIED THAT ITS EXHIBITION IS LIKELY TO CAUSE "SERIOUS DAMAGE" TO HONG KONG'S RELATIONS WITH OTHER TERRITORIES.

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THIS QUALIFICATION WOULD FILMS COULD ONLY BE BANNED ON THIS GROUND IN CLEARLY CIRCUMSTANCES.

ENSURE THAT

ESTABLISHED

ANOTHER IMPORTANT CHANGE INTRODUCED IN THE NEW BILL IS THE TREATMENT OF FILM ADVERTISING MATERIAL. WHILF THE SUBMISSION OF ADVERTISING MATERIAL TO THE AUTHORITY WILL CONTINUE TO BE MANDATORY. A DEGREE OF SELF-REGULATION BY THE INDUSTRY HAS BEEN INTRODUCED.

IN FUTURE, WHERE THE PRODUCER/DISTRIBUTOR IS CONFIDENT THAT THE MATERIAL IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CENSORSHIP CRITERIA, HE WILL HAVE THE OPTION OF INDICATING THAT AN EXAMINATION BY THE AUTHORITY IS NOT REQUIRED.

/IN MARGINAL