XN000022-1988-04-14 — Page 6

THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 1988

5

$20,000 PENALTY IMPOSED ON TV STATION

*

AT ITS MEETING TODAY (THURSDAY), THE BROADCASTING AUTHORITY ON TVB DECIDED THAT A FINANCIAL PENALTY OF $20,000 SHOULD BE IMPOSED

THEIR RECENT FOR HAVING EXCESSIVE VIOLENCE IN ONE OF THE EPISODES OF DRAMA SERIES "THE FINAL VERDICT",

AFTER

THE DECISION WAS MADE

THE BROADCASTING AUTHORITY HAD ITS COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE ON CONSIDERED THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF

THE COMPLAINTS LODGED BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AGAINST THE DRAMA SERIES.

30 FAR A TOTAL OF 97 COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.

KILLING OF A WAS FOUND PRACTICE RELATING

THE SCENE IN QUESTION, WHICH DEPICTS THE BRUTAL FAMILY OF BIX AT THE BEGINNING OF EPISODE 6 OF THE SERIES, TO HAVE CONTRAVENED THE PROVISIONS OF THE CODES OF TO PROGRAMME STANDARDS.

IN REACHING THE DECISION, THE AUTHORITY TOOK TVB HAD RECENTLY BEEN WARNED ON THREE OCCASIONS FOR

PRODUCTIONS, AND CONSIDERED VIOLENCE IN ITS DRAMA OPPORTUNITY HAD BEEN AFFORDED TO TVB TO RECTIFY THE THE CASE IN QUESTION OCCURRED.

INTO ACCOUNT

HAVING EXCESSIVE THAT REASONAPLE SITUATION BEFORE

THAT

A APART FROM VIOLENCE,

LARGE NUMBER OF THE COMPLAINTS ON FORCE "THE FINAL VERDICT" WERE RELATED TO THE PORTRAYAL OF THE POLICE IN THE SERIES.

THAT PROPER THE BROADCASTING AUTHORITY, WHILE TAKING THE VIEW

TO THE GIVEN

NEEDS OF CREATIVE REGARD SHOULD BE

WORK IN DRAMA THAT THE APPROACH ADOPTED IN THE PRODUCTIONS, WAS OF THE OPINION SERIES COULD HAVE BEEN MORE BALANCED.

ACCORDINGLY, IT WOULD REMIND TVB THAT A PROPER BE MAINTAINED IN THE CONTENTS OF ITS PROGRAMMES.

BALANCE SHOULD

16