TNAG-1632-FCO40-2248-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong--including-visit-1987 — Page 134

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VISIT TO HONG KONG BY LORD GLENARTHUR, 16-19 SEPTEMBER

BACKGROUND BRIEF J: THE NEWS MEDIA IN HONG KONG

General

1.

The news media in Hong Kong are free, critical and

aggressive. On the whole, coverage of international as well as local news is good. Reporters work in a fiercely competitive

environment and resort to all means to get a scoop. They are,

however, not too difficult to handle as their questions are largely

superficial and predictable, even though they tend to compensate for

this by adopting an unduly aggressive and forceful stance. Foreign

correspondents are generally better trained and more penetrating.

Television

2.

There are two commercial television stations, Asia Television

Limited (ATV) and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) each

broadcasting on one English and one Chinese channel. In addition,

the Hong Kong Government-owned Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK)

produces about 12 hours per week of public affairs programmes which

are broadcast by the commercial stations. All three organisations

adopt an independent editorial stance but TVB has been observed to

have exercised special care not to upset China.

3.

TVB dominates the ratings, with an average weekday audience

share of 85 per cent for its Chinese channel compared to ATV's 16

per cent. There are no reliable audience figures for the two English channels.

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