The Broadcasting Authority (BA) will be invited to draw up Codes of Practice similar to those which apply to pay TV, and the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority will be responsible for the performance of programme service licensees to ensure compliance with the Television Ordinance and the terms of their licences.
However, the Government does not wish to broaden the controls to cover other services transmitted by multimedia service providers, that is, home banking and home shopping, which should be treated as forms of electronic publishing.
"Just as we do not regulate other published matter in printed form, such as newspapers and magazines, we do not think that it would be necessary or desirable to regulate the content of multimedia services which do not constitute television programming," Mr Chau said.
"The Government will continue to monitor the development of multimedia services, so that if there appears to be a need to regulate any aspect of them, we can consider what action should be taken."
On the eligibility conditions for a programme service licence, the Secretary said they would be substantially the same as those applying to all licensees under the Television Ordinance.
For example, licensees under the ordinance will be disqualified from holding more than 15 per cent of a programme service licence; unqualified voting controllers (that is, persons who are not ordinarily resident in Hong Kong) will not be able to exercise more than 49 per cent of the voting control over a licensee; and BA's approval will also be required for unqualified voting controllers to hold two per cent or more of the voting shares in the licensee.
The existing ban on certain categories of persons, including companies transmitting sound or television material, from holding more than 15 per cent of a programme service licensee might be waived or removed from the Television Ordinance, Mr Chau said.
He added that the question of whether licences should be available to any eligible applicant or should be limited in number would be looked into during the pay TV review, the outcome of which was expected to be published next month.
The consultation paper is obtainable from the Recreation and Culture Branch, 41st floor, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Hong Kong. Comments and suggestions should be sent to the Branch either by mail or by fax (2827 0119) on or before March 15.
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