TNAG-1692-FCO40-2342-Hong-Kong-legislation-regarding-the-control-of-publications--1987 — Page 22

very high price

indeed,

· 11 ·

-

because

apart from fines and

imprisonments, their reputation will be lost forever.

It may be said that members of the mass media a re

taking such strong objection to the Bill out of self-interest.

This is an unjust and unfair thing to say,

because the less

courageous and public-spirited

members of the mass media will

simply decline to report the story. And so those who stand to

suffer are the common people of Hong Kong who are kept in the

dark.

The question before us today, like

many other

questions, involves conflicting principles of public policy :-

(a)

the right of the public to be informed, and to be

informed promptly; and

(b)

the right of the public not to be misled or alarmed

by false news.

It is suggested by the Administration that the

public of Hong Kong needs

be protected from the

irresponsible reporting. There is no evidence that such

to

irresponsible reporting of false news is rampant. Indeed the

evidence

shows that this particular section has never been used