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"The provisions of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic. Social and Cultural Rights as applied to Hong Kong shall remain in force."
The Function of the Press in Modern Society
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In modern importance.
society, free flow of
information is of grea Efficient and free access to information
is indispensable to commercial undertakings which would like to Join the competition. The press has been rendering a highly significant service to the public in this respect. If members of a modern society are to take part in regional or national affairs actively and sensibly, they need to possess sufficient knowledge of the daily affairs, for instance, to enable them to make a fair decision during elections, and to allow them to maintain their vigilance towards their government. Therefore, modern society requires clear and accurate reports of events happening everyday, including analyses of their background and causes, BO a8 to provide citizens with information for discussion and review. Modern society needs a sufficient variety of newspapers to keep citizens informed of different viewpoints, and to help them to understand the facts clearly and accurately.
As the press can generate pressure from public opinion to affect government personnel and policy-making, it has become another form of power for check and balance, in addition to the executive. legislative and judicial power. supervising government's administration, and promoting the growth society.
of
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4.1
The Present Situation of the Press
At present, there are 68 newspapers (Chinese:51: English:14; bilingual:1; and Japanese:2), 516 magazines (Chinese:317; English: 130; bilingual:68; trilingual:1), 2 radio stations and 2 television stations registered with the Hong Kong Government. These figures reveal that the mass media are flourishing in Hong Kong. Their characteristics can be
summarized 88 follows:
4.1.1 Apart from the requirement for a
4.1.2
deposit or personal ten thousand dollars, there is basically no restriction on publication
guarantee of
Though the law provides that a local newspaper shall
initially рау a deposit of $10.000.00 As damages for an
offence or libel.
Ав this amount 18 only a minimal proportion of the total investment for funding the
it can hardly be called 8 restriction.
publication,
Assuming sole responsibility for its profits or losges a8
an enterprise
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