TNAG-0351-FCO40-387-Future-of-broadcasting-in-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 180

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for instance, about Sir Y.K. Kan, was not only mildly libellous but totally untrue. I remembered very clearly that Sir Y.K. had intervened strongly in the Ex. Co.

discussion, but not on the subject of the third channel.

Col. Stirling finally reiterated his view

7.

that competition between three commercial stations

in television would have disastrous results on standards

and he referred to Australia as an example.

a.

I said that on the basis on the advice

#

I had I was not to be moved by either the technical or

commercial arguments; I would take the advice of

the Executive Council and be governed by it, but my

guess was that Council's view of this would be the

same as mine. However, I had reconsidered the

decision on the third channel, and thought that with

regard to this we would be wise to delay until we could observe how commercially and technically the two channels worked out. I had already told Mr. Watt that this

*

think this agim mo agit

aspect needed reconsideration... i thi

9.

to ach

Col. Stirling then said that he thought there

was a very strong case for a third station which would be

a public authority, rather than commercial, and that if we

contemplated such a station he would like to put his

resources and expertise at our disposal. He thought

there would be strong support for such a station from the

public and business houses. I did not comment.

1

M.

27.11.72

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