TNAG-2276-FCO40-3275-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-1991 — Page 50

RESTRICTED

p.a. Medis

RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE for bens faul

COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2171

OF 081104Z JULY 91

Myraul

minating) 646011

ORIAN

MDHIAN 4493

HiB 301/1 - why is face competition

Ms Samanders" // unencriber? What wilt no:

INFO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

94

штативен

ими

pedisys jintification? RA3

197

Copy Siead & seen by

+

YRTELNO 1232: BBC WORLD SERVICE TV (WSTV) AND HUTCHVISION

1. THE HEAD OF BBC WSTV, CHRISTOPHER IRWIN, CALLED ON ME LAST WEEK. HE SUBSEQUENTLY MET THE SECRETARY FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, JAMES SO, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BROADCASTING POLICY.

2. IRWIN SAID THAT WSTV WAS ABOUT TO REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH HUTCHVISION ON PROVIDING PROGRAMMES FOR A 24-HOUR SATELLITE TV NEW SERVICE: ON PROVIDING PROGRAMMES IN THE EVENT THAT HUTCHVISION SECURED A SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE IN HONG KONG AND ON UPLINKING BBC WORLD SERVICE RADIO VIA HUTCHVISION'S SATELLITE.

√8/011

3. IRWIN RAISED THREE ISSUES. FIRSTLY, HE SAID THAT WSTV WAS KEEN TO PROVIDE SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION IN CANTONESE AS WELL AS MANDARIN ON THE 24-HOUR NEWS SERVICE. HUTCHVISION CLAIMED THAT THERE WERE 100 MILLION CANTONESE SPEAKERS WITHIN THE FOOTPRINT COVERED BY THEIR SATELLITE. I TOLD IRWIN THAT HUTCHVISION HAD ACCEPTED THE RESTRICTION ON CANTONESE BROADCASTING UNTIL OCTOBER 1993 AS PART OF THEIR CURRENT LICENCE. IT WAS INTENDED TO PROTECT THE ADVERTISING REVENUE OF THE TWO LOCAL TELEVISION COMPANIES, TVB AND ATV. IT MADE SENSE TO SEE HOW HUTCHVISION'S PROJECT FAIRED BEFORE TRYING TO PUT ANY PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW ITS POLICY IN THIS RESPECT. IRWIN SEEMED TO TAKE THE POINT. JAMES SO TOLD IRWIN THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD GIVEN WRITTEN ASSURANCES TO ATV AND TVB THAT THE RESTRICTION ON CANTONESE PROGRAMMES WOULD REMAIN FOR THREE YEARS.

4. SECOND, IRWIN SAID THAT WSTV WAS INTERESTED IN A SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE TO JAPAN, HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE. GIVEN CURRENT RESTRICTIONS IN HONG KONG, THE SCHEME DID NOT LOOK VIABLE. I EXPLAINED TO IRWIN THAT THE WHOLE QUESTION OF SUBSCRIPTION TV WAS BEING CONSIDERED AS PART OF AN OVERALL REVIEW OF BROADCASTING POLICY. JAMES SO IS CLOSELY INVOLVED IN THE REVIEW. HE BRIEFED IRWIN ON DETAILS, INCLUDING THE TARGET OF INVITING FORMAL PROPOSALS ON THE PROVISION OF SUBSCRIPTION TV BY THE END OF THE