TNAG-0351-FCO40-387-Future-of-broadcasting-in-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 36

CONFIDENTIAL

ANNEX D TO XCC (72) 92

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL DECISION OF 22.2.72

The Council considered memorandum XCC(72)14.

The Council ADVISED and the Governor ORDERED:

(a) that public tenders be invited simultaneously

for a second wireless Television licence, which would provide for both English and Chinese services, and a third wireless television licence, which would provide for a single Chinese service;

(b) that no date be specified with regard to

the commencement of operations by the

second and

successful tenderers for the third wireless

television licences other of course than the

limitation, imposed by the lifetime of the present TVB EXcTusive franchise.

futut

(c) that licensees be required to make available

4 hours free air-time a day for the transmission of ETV programmoa;

(d) that licensees be required to provide up to

7 hours air-time a week for programmes produced by Government as recommended by the Working Party;

(e) that permitted advertising times be increased from 7 minutes to 10 minutes in any one hour, subject to the existing overall restriction of 10% of transmission time in any 24 hour period;

(f) that on the expiry of the existing exclusive

licence for a wired television service held by Rediffusion (Hong Kon) Ltd. no further monopoly be permitted in this field;

(g) that the Working Party's recommendations

concerning the composition of a licensee's board of directors and the local ownership of a licensee's shares be approved, subject to examination by the Legal Department with a view to closing any possible loopholes;

(h) that a further, shorter memorandum be

•

prepared by the Colonial Secretariat drawing Council's attention to the principal remaining recommendations made by the Working Party on which a specific decision is appropriate;

(i) that no public announcement on Government's policy

with regard to the future of wireless Television be made pending the action contemplated in (h) above which should be as soon as possible.

MA. Hammond

Clerk of Councils

CONFIDENTIAL