XN000022-1994-01-05 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1994

2

GOVERNOR SPEAKS TO PRESS AFTER VISITING TV CITY

TURNED

то COMMERCIALLY

GOVERNOR: GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM VERY PLEASED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO VISIT TVB TODAY FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. FIRST OF ALL, HONG KONG HAS

OF COMPANIES ITSELF INTO THE MEDIA CAPITAL OF THE REGION. A NUMBER

VERY MUCH INCLUDING TVB HAVE SET THE PACE AND BLASE THE TRAIL AND I

FOUNDATION. IT'S HOPE THAT IN THE YEARS AHEAD, WE CAN BUILD ON THAT

IT'S IMPORTANT

OUR IMPORTANT TO OUR

IN THE REGION. POSITION DEVELOPMENT AS A REGIONAL CENTRE. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AND ECONOMICALLY AS WELL. SECONDLY, I'M DELIGHTED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO THE VISIT ONE OF OUR LEADING MEDIA ORGANISATIONS. AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF

PRESS MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF OUR OPEN AND PLURAL SOCIETY IS A FREE

HAVE A FREB AND PRESS MEDIA. I THINK IN AN OPEN SOCIETY WHERE YOU

AS MARKET AND PRODUCTS, YOU INEVITABLY HAVE A FREE MARKET IN IDEAS WELL AND I THINK FREE PRESS, FREE MEDIA ARE AS IMPORTANT TO OUR WAY OF AND INDEPENDENT LEGISLATURE LIFE

MANY WAYS AS A FAIRLY ELECTED IN

OUR JUDICIARY. THEY ALL CONNECT AND ALL MAKE UP PART OF THE FIBRIC OF

LAW. JOURNALISTS WAY OF LIFE. THEY ALL HELP TO SUSTAIN THE RULE OF

MAKE SURE THAT ASKING DIFFICULT

OF GOVERNMENTS HELP TO QUESTIONS

CITIZENS OF A GOVERNMENTS STAY

AND STAY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE CLEAN

THAT WB COMMUNITY. AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN PRESSED TO MAKE IT CLEAR WON'T ABUSE ANY OF THE EXISTING LAWS ON THE STATUTE BOOK TO UNDERMINE THE FREEDOM OF THE MEDIA. I MAKE THAT PLEDGE AGAIN

PEOPLE

THE JOURNALISTS ALSO REMIND

ENCOURAGED BY THAT

OUR LEGISLATION, BROADCASTING IN ANY I

FOR

EXAMPLE,

LOOK

THEM

HOPE,

HAVE

TRY TO BUT I

WITH

THE

TIMB то

PANEL

то

LIKE YOU ASSOCIATION, WE ARE REVIEWING AND AMENDING MUCH OF

THE

ON ORDINANCES

TELECOMMUNICATION, AUTHORITY, TELEVISION AND SO ON, TO ENSURE THAT THEY DON'T, WAY, INFRINGE ON FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. THERE ARE OTHER THINGS WHICH THINK THE JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK AT AND WE'RE

ΤΟ GOING

AT

A DIALOGUE AND, 1 JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION ABOUT THEM. THERE'VE ALSO BEEN FROM TIME, AS YOU KNOW, CRITICISMS OF ATTEMPT TO EXERT BACKDOOR PRESSURE ON THE PRESS AND THE MEDIA. THERE'VE BEEN SUGGESTIONS OF SELF-CENSORSHIP. WHEN THE NEWSPAPER SOCIETY GAVE EVIDENCE TO THE RELEVANT LEGCO

THINK THAT'S IN SEPTEMBER. THAT WAS A POINT WHICH WORRIED THEM. I SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO BE FEARLESS ABOUT AND KEEP OUR EYES OPEN PREVENT HONG KONG AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION SAID, IS ONE OF THE OASES OF PRESS FREEDOM IN THIS REGION AND WE

PREVENTING THAT BEING ΤΟ KEEP THINGS THAT WAY AND THE BEST WAY OF

BY BRODED, THE BEST WAY OF PREVENTING SELF-CENSORSHIP CREEPING IN IS

CASE OF THE PUBLICISING IT WHENEVER IT HAPPENS AS WAS DONE IN THE

I REPEAT. I'M EVIDENCE TO THE LEGCO PANEL IN SEPTEMBER. SO, AGAIN,

ORGANISATIONS, DELIGHTED TO VISIT ANOTHER OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT MEDIA ONE WHICH IS DOING A GREAT DEAL FOR OUR ECONOMY AND A GREAT DEAL OUR WAY OF LIFE. AND I'VE BEEN DELIGHTED TO SEE SO MUCH GOING ON TODAY TAKE AND PARTICULARLY DELIGHTED NOT TO TAKE PART, NOT TO BE ASKED TO

OR A VIDEO FOR A POP SONG, BUT IT PART IN A MARTIAL ART DEMONSTRATION WAS ALL VERY INTERESTING.

НАЗ WANT

FOR

THE COMMENT

QUESTION: MR GOVERNOR, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE THAT MAKING THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY BECOME AN AIRPORT CORPORATION IS TO0 DECISION COMMERCIALISED, HOW DO YOU THINK THAT AND HAVE YOU MADE ANY ABOUT THE MEMBERSHIP BOARD OF THE

+

/GOVERNOR: