RTV proposes therefore that the Television Advisory Board should become independent of the Authority and should assume the function of an intermediate appeals board in addition to its present advisory role. RTV has also raised objections to the Director of Broad- casting's membership of the Board chiefly on the grounds that he is executive head of a competitive television production organisation competing for scarce resources with RTV.
The Board has considered RTV's proposals on the functions of the Board and has concluded that there are no cogent reasons for recommending any changes, Firstly, the 1971 Working Party on the Future of Broadcasting took the view that it was appropriate for the Authority to be Chairman of the Board, given that the Board had a moderating function to perform in respect of the exercise of certain of the Authority's statutory powers. Secondly, the present system of control has worked well for the past 12 years, despite periods of intense competition in the television industry and thirdly, the Board is aware of only one instance in the past 12 years where there appeared to be a sufficient difference of opinion between a licensee and the Authority to have merited an appeal.
The Board's view is supported by the Government. The alternative proposal to create an 'intermediate' appeals board independent of the Television Advisory Board has been examined, but it is considered that there would be difficulties in having an appeals board which comprises Unofficials and Officials ruling on decisions also consisting of Unofficials and Officials. There might moreover be some scope for the stations to use the appeals board (in whatever form) in such a way as to undermine the Television Authority's day- to-day control over the standard of the stations' programmes. In this context, it must be recognised that whatever controls the Government may have under the Ordinance over the owner- ship of the television companies its ultimate control must lie in what is allowed to appear on the television screen.
On the question of RTV's objections to the Director of Broadcasting's membership of the Board, the Board has taken the view that Radio Television Hong Kong is not in any way a commercial competitor to RTV and that the Director's presence in his personal capacity as Government's principal professional adviser on broad- casting is important and necessary. This view is also supported by the Government.
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.