XN000022-1988-07-20 — Page 17

15

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1988

SHOULD

THE LICENSEES COME UP

WITH ACTUAL PROJECTS AND

JUSTIFICATIONS, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT IT WILL BE SYMPATHETICALLY CONSIDERED BY THE BROADCASTING AUTHORITY AND THE ADMINISTRATION.

IF BY THEN IT WARRANTS ANY CHANGE TO THE EXISTING LEGISLATION то ACCOMMODATE THE PROJECTS, WE ARE SURE THAT WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE BROADCASTING AUTHORITY THIS COUNCIL WILL ALSO CONSIDER IT SYMPATHETICALLY.

"THE PRINCIPLE WE HAVE ADOPTED IS LEGISLATION IS NEEDED NOW TO CATER FOR MIGHT NEVER MATERIALISE," HE SAID.

THAT NO AMENDMENT ΤΟ THE HYPOTHETICAL SITUATIONS THAT

FURTHERMORE, MR CHEONG POINTED OUT THAT THE BILL AS DRAFTED PROHIBITED A LICENSEE FROM HOLDING INTERESTS IN COMPANIES WITH LESS THAN 51 PER CENT OF VOTING SHARES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE LICENSEE. THIS WOULD BE TANTAMOUNT TO A TOTAL

ON "SECOND TIER" SUBSIDIARIES AND COULD INTERFERE UNNECESSARILY WITH SOMR NORMAL OFFSHORE COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS OF THE LICENSEES.

BAN

TO RECTIFY THIS, THE ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED A COMMITTEE STAGE AMENDMENT ALLOWING THE LICENSEES TO SET UP SUBSIDIARIES WITH 51 PER CENT OF VOTING SHARES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE LICENSEE OR ITS OTHER SUBSIDIARIES.

SOUNDING OUT A WARNING THAT POSSIBLE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE COMMUNITY COULD BE FAR-REACHING IF NO CLEAR RULES, REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES WERE SET DOWN FOR THE BROADCASTING BUSINESS, MR CHEONG SESSED THAT THESE RULES, REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES SHOULD AIM TO BALANCE THE INTEREST OF SHAREHOLDERS OF THE BUSINESS AND THOSE OF THE OVERALL PUBLIC.

COMMUNITY INTEREST WILL BE SAFEGUARDED

+

THE TELEVISION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1988 WILL NOT THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY BUT WILL ALSO PROVIDE BETTER QUALITY PROGRAMMES, THE HON EDWARD HO SAID IN COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

ONLY

SAFEGUARD

HONG

KONG

WITH

THE

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL, MR HO SAID THAT THE CONSIDERABLE POWER OF INFLUENCE THAT TELEVISION COMMUNITY, THIS INFLUENCE MUST NOT BE LEFT UNCHECKED.

LEGISLATIVE

BECAUSE OF HAD ON THE

/"COMMUNITY INTEREST