XN000022-1993-02-03 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1993'

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RTHK PRODUCTION SUITABLY SUPERVISED

PROGRAMME PRODUCTION IN RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG (RTHK) 18 SUITABLY SUPERVISED UNDER EXISTING WORKING PROCEDURES, THE SECRETARY FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, MR JAMES SO, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHIM PUI-CHUNG, SO SAID CONTENTS OF RTHK PROGRAMMES WERE ADEQUATELY MONITORED AND REVIEWED IN EDITORIAL MEETINGS TO GUARD AGAINST THEIR BEING BIASED AND USED FOR POLITICAL PROPAGANDA OR SLANDER.

MR SO SAID A CODE OF PRACTICE GOVERNING RTHK'S EDITORIAL POLICY WOULD BE TOO RIGID AND WOULD NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT FLEXIBILITY TO MEET WITH RAPIDLY CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES.

HOWEVER, HE SAID THE DIRECTOR OF BROADCASTING WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT A SYSTEM OF EDITORIAL CONTROL EXISTED WHICH RESULTED IN FAIR, BALANCED AND OBJECTIVE PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND NEWS PROGRAMMES BEING PRODUCED BY RTHK.

BUT HE CONCEDED THAT THERE WAS NO ABSOLUTE GUARANTEE THAT THE LINE MIGHT NOT BE CROSSED, ESPECIALLY WITH "LIVE" PROGRAMMES WHERE LISTENERS' PHONE-IN SEGMENTS WERE INVOLVED.

**IN THESE PROGRAMMES THERE IS A NEED ΤΟ STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN LETTING THE CALLER SPEAK HIS MIND, CHALLENGING UNFAIR COMMENTS AND STOPPING ALTOGETHER ANY SLANDEROUS STATEMENTS, MR SO SAID.

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"THE HANDLING OF SUCH PROGRAMMES IS A SUBJECT WHICH IS CLOSELY WATCHED BY, AND REGULARLY DISCUSSED AMONG, EDITORIAL STAFF IN RTHK," HE ADDED.

MR SO ALSO TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT RTHK HAD RECEIVED 14 COMPLAINTS AGAINST ITS PROGRAMMES IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, FOUR ON TV AND 10 ON RADIO.

THE

IN

THESE COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN THOROUGHLY FXAMINED BY THE HEADS PROGRAMME PRODUCTION DIVISIONS AND, WHERE NECESSARY, DIRECTIVES WERE ISSUED TO PREVENT SIMILAR OCCURRENCES IN FUTURE.

"WRITTEN

REPLIES HAVE BEEN GIVEN

7+

POSSIBLE, MR SO ADDED.

סין

COMPLAINANTS WHERE

OVER THE SAME PERIOD, THERE WERE TWO CASES WHERE COMPLAINANTS, THROUGH THEIR SOLICITORS, CLAIMED THAT STATEMENTS MADE IN RTHK RADIO PROGRAMMES HAD CAUSED THEM EMBARRASSMENT AND HAD DAMAGED THEIR REPUTATION.

"BOTH CASES WERE SETTLED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT, WITHOUT RESORTING TO LITIGATION, MR SO SAID.

TT

"IN ONE CASE, THE GOVERNMENT PAID THE COMPLAINANT'S LEGAL OF $15,000 AND NO OTHER EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS HAS INCURRED, HE ADDED.

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LEGAL

FEES

BEEN

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