XN000022-1993-09-06 — Page 4

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1993

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SOUND LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK NEEDED FOR BROADCASTING DEVELOPMENT

* * * * *

THE

SOUND

THE BEST THING THAT THE GOVERNMENT CAN DO TO PROVIDE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF BROADCASTING IN HONG KONG IS TO PROVIDE A AND DURABLE LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK, THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, MRS RACHEL CARTLAND, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF VICTORIA, MRS CARTLAND SAID THE ADMINISTRATION INTENDED ΤΟ INTRODUCE A COMPREHENSIVE BROADCASTING BILL WHICH WOULD CONSOLIDATE LEGISLATION CURRENTLY SCATTERED AMONG SEVERAL ORDINANCES TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND UP-TO-DATE LEGAL MACHINERY FOR THE LICENSING AND REGULATION OF BROADCASTING IN THE COMING LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SESSION.

WHILE ASSURING THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO MAKE THE CHANGES NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY COULD CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM ADVANCES IN BROADCASTING, MRS CARTLAND SAID THE BASIC AIM OF THE BROADCASTING POLICY WAS THE ENRICHING OF THE LIFE OF THE AVERAGE CITIZEN OF HONG KONG THE ORDINARY VIEWER AND LISTENER.

"IN ITS SIMPLEST FORM WE BELIEVE THAT THIS MEANS INCREASING THE CHOICES OPEN TO HIM OR HER, SHE ADDED.

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MRS CARTLAND NOTED THAT WITHIN A PERIOD OF ABOUT TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS FROM END-1990 TO MID-1993 THE GOVERNMENT HAD DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF HONG KONG'S BROADCASTING LICENSEES BY ADDING METRO, STAR AND WHARF CABLE TO THE PREVIOUS COMMERCIAL RADIO, TVB AND ATV.

WHEN WHARF CABLE OPENED UP AND DEVELOPED ITS SERVICE AT THE END OF NEXT MONTH, MRS CARTLAND SAID, VIEWERS INITIALLY WOULD HAVE AN ADDITION OF 12 CHANNELS TO THE EXISTING FOUR TERRESTRIAL AND FIVE SATELLITE.

THE 12 WAS LIKELY TO EXPAND TO 22 BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT SHE SAID.

YEAR,

**THE COMMUNITY WILL THEN PROBABLY HAVE A GREATER CHOICE OF LOCALLY-MADE AND LOCALLY-TARGETED TV PROGRAMMING THAN ANY COMMUNITY OF COMPARABLE SIZE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, MRS CARTLAND SAID.

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ON THE GOVERNMENT'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS COMMERCIAL FILM-MAKERS AND BROADCASTERS, MRS CARTLAND

SAID, THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THIS AREA.

OF

THROUGH THE

THEMSELVES

BUT AN IMPORTANT INDIRECT CONTRIBUTION HAD BEEN CREATION OF A SOCIETY IN WHICH PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO EXPRESS FREELY WITHOUT CONCERN THAT THEY WOULD FALL VICTIM TO OVERLY RESTRICTIVE CENSORSHIP LAWS OR, INDEED, TO REPRESSIVE SOCIAL NORMS WHICH STIFLED NEW WAYS OF THOUGHT.

ANOTHER INDIRECT CONTRIBUTION THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD MADE WAS THROUGH THE WORK OF RTHK, THE PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTER, MRS CARTLAND SAID.

SHE EXPLAINED THAT RTHK HAD COMPLETE EDITORIAL FREEDOM AND MISSION TO COMPLEMENT THE SERVICES OF THE COMMERCIAL BROADCASTERS TO PROVIDE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

A

AND

/ON TELEVISION