XN000022-1992-04-29 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 1992

AT A PRESS BRIEFING IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE DEBATE, THE SECRETARY EXPLAINED THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES INCLUDING RESTRICTIONS ON CANTONESE PROGRAMMES ON SATELLITE TV, FAIR COMPETITION, TECHNOLOGY, ROYALTY, ADVERTISING, AND OWNERSHIP.

EXPLAINING THE PLACING OF RESTRICTIONS ON THE BROADCASTING OF CANTONESE PROGRAMMES IN THE LICENCE GRANTED TO HUTCHVISION IN DECEMBER 1990, MR SO SAID IT WAS FELT THAT THE UNRESTRICTED BROADCASTING OF CANTONESE ON THE STAR TV SERVICE COULD HAVE AN UNDULY ADVERSE IMPACT UPON THE OPERATIONS OF ATV AND TVB.

IN PARTICULAR, IT WAS FEARED THAT WITH CANTONESE BROADCASTS, TV COULD ATTRACT ADVERTISING AWAY FROM ATV AND TVB, THUS JEOPARDISING THE LATTER'S VIABILITY.

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"THE FAILURE OF ONE OR BOTH TV STATIONS COULD RESULT IN THE DETERIORATION IN THE CHOICE AND QUALITY OF FREE-TO-AIR LOCAL CANTONESE LANGUAGE PROGRAMMES AND THIS COULD NOT QUICKLY BE REPLACED BY SATELLITE OR ANY OTHER TELEVISION MEDIUM," HE SAID.

"I BELIEVE THAT IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF HONG KONG VIEWERS THAT NEW FORMS OF BROADCASTING SHOULD COMPLEMENT OUR EXISTING BROADCASTERS, NOT COMPETE HEAD-ON WITH THEM.

"WE MUST ALSO BEAR IN MIND THE NEED TO BE FAIR TO TVB AND ATV WHO ACCEPTED LICENCES IN 1988, INCLUDING SOME OBLIGATIONS, ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT CERTAIN CONDITIONS WOULD PREVAIL THROUGHOUT THE LICENCE PERIOD," HE ADDED.

THE SECRETARY SAID, HOWEVER, THE RESTRICTIONS WOULD BE EXAMINED IN THE CURRENT REVIEW, AND THAT A DECISION ON WHETHER, AND IF So, HOW THE RESTRICTIONS SHOULD BE MODIFIED WOULD BE MADE ONCE THE REVIEW

COMPLETED.

WAS

REFERRING TO CONCERN EXPRESSED BY A FEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS OVER RESTRICTIVE AGREEMENTS IMPOSED BY CERTAIN SATELLITE MASTER ANTENNA TELEVISION (SMATV) OPERATORS ON CONSUMERS, MR SO SAID PART OF THE PROBLEM STEMMED FROM THE PUBLIC NOT BEING SUFFICIENTLY AWARE OF THEIR RIGHTS UNDER THE EXISTING SMATV REGULATIONS,

MR SO SAID THE POST OFFICE WOULD SHORTLY BE PUBLISHING A GUIDE TO THE SMATV REGULATIONS TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF THEIR CONSUMER RIGHTS.

"THERE ARE NEARLY 80 LICENSED SMATV OPERATORS AND IT IS UP TO THE CONSUMER TO SHOP AROUND TO FIND THE ONE THAT BEST SUITS HIS REQUIREMENTS, HE SAID.

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REFERRING TO THE PROBLEM OF "EXCLUSION CLAUSES" RAISED BY MEMBERS, WHICH SOUGHT ΤΟ MONOPOLISE ACCESS TO BUILDINGS BY ONE OPERATOR, MR SO SAID: "WE OBVIOUSLY VIEW THESE WITH CONCERN, SINCE THEY COULD FRUSTRATE OUR BROADCASTING POLICY AIM OF PROMOTING COMPETITION AND PROVIDING CHOICE.

"WE ARE EXPLORING WAYS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM AND I DO NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING LEGISLATION TO ACHIEVE THIS AIM," HE SAID.

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