XN000022-1994-05-13 — Page 7

FRIDAY, MAY 13, 1994

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THE BILL WILL ALSO LOWER THE CONCENTRATION OF CODEINE IN COUGH PREPARATIONS TO WHICH THE ORDINANCE APPLIES, ENABLING THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH TO MONITOR THE IMPORTATION OF CODEINE SYRUP FOR THE PURPOSE OF MANUFACTURING COUGH MEDICINES.

AND

"FOLLOWING A RECENT HIGH COURT RULING ON THE POWER OF ENTRY SEARCH WITHOUT A WARRANT, THE BILL LIMITS THIS POWER ΤΟ SITUATIONS WHERE IT IS NOT REASONABLY PRACTICABLE TO OBTAIN ONE, MR SINCLAIR CONCLUDED.

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THE BILLS WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR THEIR FIRST READING AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE SECOND READING DEBATE ON MAY 18.

AUTHORITY DISCUSSES TV SERIES COMPLAINTS

THE BROADCASTING AUTHORITY MET YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) AND DISCUSSED THE RECENT DECISIONS BY ATV AND TVB TO SHOW EPISODES OF THE "PAO THE JUDGE" SERIES CONCURRENTLY.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AUTHORITY SAID MEMBERS EXPRESSED GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE ACTIONS OF BOTH BROADCASTERS WHO, BY COMPETING IN THIS WAY, WERE NOT ACTING IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE VIEWING PUBLIC.

HE SAID MEMBERS WERE VERY CONCERNED THAT THE PUBLIC WAS NOT BEING GIVEN AN ADEQUATE CHOICE OF PROGRAMMING MATERIAL, AND THIS WAS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE AUTHORITY'S GENERAL APPROACH OF ENCOURAGING COMPETITION IN ORDER TO INCREASE CHOICE FOR HONG KONG VIEWERS.

AS OF MAY 11, THERE HAD BEEN SOME 74 PUBLIC

THE SITUATION.

COMPLAINTS ABOUT

IN VIEW OF THE OVERWHELMING PUBLIC CONCERN, THE BROADCASTING AUTHORITY DECIDED TO HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING AND TO INVITE THE TWO STATIONS TO DISCUSS THE MATTER NEXT WEEK.

IT WILL REQUEST THE TWO STATIONS TO ACCOUNT FOR THEIR RECENT DECISIONS AND TO ADVISE ON THEIR NEXT PROGRAMMING PLANS.

IN ADDITION, THE AUTHORITY'S COMPLAINTS DEALING WITH THE COMPLAINTS SEPARATELY.

COMMITTEE WILL BE

THE AUTHORITY ALSO CONSIDERED SOME PUBLIC COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE BROADCAST ON TELEVISION ор AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR A COMPACT DISC ENTITLED "MARLBORO RED HOT HITS"

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THE COMPLAINANTS HAD ALLEGED THAT THE ADVERTISEMENT HAD THE EFFECT OF PROMOTING MARLBORO CIGARETTES, A PRODUCT THAT MAY NOT BE ADVERTISED ON TELEVISION,

THE AUTHORITY'S CODES OF PRACTICE PROHIBIT ANY ADVERTISEMENT FOR AN ACCEPTABLE PRODUCT IF A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT OF THE ADVERTISEMENT IS TO PROMOTE AN UNACCEPTABLE PRODUCT.

/THE SPOKESMAN