TNAG-0350-FCO40-386-Future-of-broadcasting-in-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 19

PRIORITY CYPHER/CAT A

.Y TỪNG KONG 1012

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

72

08

TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 947 OF 15 SEPTEMBER INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON (PCO PLEASE PASS).

YOUR TELNO 768 DATED 8 SEPTEMBER

WIRELESS TELEVISION LICENCES,

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. $1 15 SEP 1972

HKK139

SINCE MY TELEGRAM 640 DATED 15 JULY WAS WRITTEN VIRTUALLY ALL THE DOCUMENTATION BOTH FOR THE TELEVISION (AMENDMENT) BİLL AND TENDER DOCUMENTS HAS BEEN COMPLETED, HOWEVER, AS EXPLAINED IN MY

57) TELEGRAM 675 DATED 28 JULY, WE HAVE BEEN OBLIGED TO CONSIDER FURTHER

WHETHER TVB SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO SHARE TRANSMISSION SITES WITH THE NEW LICENSEES AND TO CHANGE SOME FREQUENCIES, THE TELEVISION AUTHORITY IS HOLDING DiscussĨONS WITH TVB AND WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT. THEY MAY BE PREPARED TO MODIFY THEIR ATTITUDE, AT LEAST ON THE SHARING OF TRANSMISSION SITES. THESE PROBLEMS MEAN THAT IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR THE AMENDMENTS TO THE TELEVISION CRDINANCE TO BE ENACTED BEFORE TVB'S LICENCE EXPIRES ON 19 NOVEMBER, LEGISLATION IS THEREFORE BEING DRAFTED TO EXTEND THE CURRENT LICENCE UNCHANGED UNTIL 15 JANUARY 1973 OR SUCH OTHER DATE AS THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL MAY DECIDE, AT THAT TIME TVB'S LICENCE WILL BE RENEWED SUBJECT THE REVISED CONDITIONS CONTAINED IN THE TELEVISION (AMENDMENT) BILL

2. WE ARE STILL HOPEFUL THAT IT WILL BE POSSĪBLE TO CALL FOR TENDERS FOR THE NEW STATIONS BEFORE THE END OF DECEMBER 1972 THOUGH THIS CANNOT NOW BE REGARDED AS A FIRM DATE.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

(x3)

EKIOD

IAD

GIPD

PS/MR ROYLE

SIR D WATSON MR WILFORD

MR D A SCOTT

CONFIDENTI AL