trailer might be objectionable. In addition, powers of censorship also extend to the hand painted advertisement hoardings outside cinemas and to newspaper advertisements for films which have passed censorship. Often these also are designed to give the impression that the film is more violent or more salacious than is in fact the case and a full page of such advertisements appearing daily in the popular press may have an unsettling effect on young persons even though they don't see the films. Bearing this in mind the standards of such advertising will be controlled by the censor.
23. Trailers of those films which are endorsed as being un- suitable for children can themselves only be shown if the main film of that programme is also similarly endorsed. In future the censors will not only give public warning as to which films are "not suitable for children" but will also try and give public guidance as to which films are particularly suitable for "family entertainment” and it is hoped that producers will try and plan more productions of this type.
Films for Television
24. A large proportion of the television audience are in their own or their neighbours' homes. It is recognised that once a tele- vision set is installed audiences rapidly become captive to it and switching off is difficult. Furthermore many homes have only one living room and television viewing must be a family affair. Unlike the cinema the television audience does not "pay its money and take its choice". Once a family has acquired a set the standards are injected into the privacy of their home and imposed upon them. Television producers therefore have a special responsibility to their public. A more critical interpretation of basic standards is according- ly applied to television and these are reflected in the programme and advertising codes issued by the Television Authority. available to the censor and to the members of the Board of Review. Films passed for public exhibition in the cinemas of Hong Kong will not necessarily be permitted for television screening. Film pro- ducers and distributors who hope to exploit the television market should study these codes which can be obtained from the Television Authority.
Film Societies and Clubs
25. The Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance requires
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that any film shown on an occasion where the public are invited or have access to or which people may attend by reason of their being members of a club, association or other organisation is subject to approval by the censor. Where a film has particular relevance to the articles of association of a club and is being shown privately to mem- bers without public advertisement the censor will give special con- sideration to the application for a screening permit. For example, a medical association might be permitted to show a film to its mem- bers which was not suitable for general release or a motor racing club might wish to show its members a film depicting the technical details of a particularly violent accident which would otherwise not pass censorship.
Censorship Procedure
26. Persons wishing to submit films for censorship prior to public exhibition in Hong Kong should apply in writing to-
Secretary,
Panel of Censors,
4th Floor,
Beaconsfield House,
Queen's Road Central,
Hong Kong.
They should include in their letter full particulars of the film, its title, synopsis and associated publicity material. They will be allocated a censorship date as quickly as possible and at the latest within one month of the date of their letter. When a film is subse- quently approved for public exhibition it is the current practice that such approval is only valid for five years.
27. When a distributor agrees to cuts ordered by the censor, cuts from a master copy of the film must be deposited with the censor during the period the film is exhibited in Hong Kong. The film must be exhibited publicly in the same form as passed by the censors without any subsequent alteration. In some cases the censor may require a spare copy of the film to be deposited with him during the period of public exhibition.
28. An appeal to the Board of Review against the censor's decision must be lodged with the Secretary to the Panel within 28 days of the date of the censor's decision. The Board of Review is
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