TNAG-0351-FCO40-387-Future-of-broadcasting-in-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 176

Mr Wilford

Pa Ma Rayle

CONFIDENTIAL

See paras 9-1257

Exco

TELEVISION HONG KONG

1.

I attach the draft of a telegram to Hong Kong describing

the meeting which I had with Colonel Stirling on 4 December.

2.

I cannot discover from the papers or from members of

the department whether we have ever considered deeply the

question of the public service nature of the third, Chinese,

channel or commented on this to the Governor. Colonel Stirling

XCC(72)14 may be right in suggesting that the third programme is becoming

155

Flag A

more commercial than was originally intended and that this

could lead to the lowering of standards. But TVB's motives

must be suspect, since their own advertising revenues are at

stake. Colonel Stirling acknowledged this. But he said that

he personally was more interested in public service television

than in commercial TV and he thought we should be too.

3. I repeated that the technical questions which he had

raised and in which he was still interested were a matter for

the Hong Kong Government, not for us. On the third programme,

If

we did not know the Governor's current intentions.

Colonel Stirling wanted to see Mr Royle (as he did) I thought

he should wait until we heard from the Governor.

4.

Since speaking to Colonel Stirling I have received a

letter from the Governor, and the record of his interview with

CONFIDENTIAL

/Colonel

رب