RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
BTC HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 152
OF 031029Z MAY 91
INFO ROUTINE JAKARTA, MANILA, SINGAPORE
(CORRECTED VERSION
—
ERRORS REGRETTED)
X135
172667 MDLIAN 8380
YRTELNO 223 TO BANGKOK: BBC WORLD SERVICE TELEVISION LTD
1. HUTCHVISION ARE PRESSING AHEAD QUICKLY. THEY STARTED TRANSMISSION OF THEIR PREVIEW CHANNEL LAST MONTH AND WILL START TRANSMITTING THREE CHANNELS (MUSIC, SPORT AND A MANDARIN LANGUAGE SERVICE) IN SEPTEMBER. TWO MORE CHANNELS (NEWS AND FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT) WILL BE ADDED NEXT SPRING. THEY WILL INITIALLY CONCENTRATE THEIR EFFORTS ON THE REGION WITH THEIR STAR (SATELLITE TELEVISION ASIA REGION) NETWORK.
2. THE LOCAL BBC REPRESENTATIVE IS IN TOUCH WITH HUTCHVISION ON BEHALF OF WSTV LTD. THEY SEEM TO BE WAY BEHIND ITN HOWEVER, WHO HAVE TOLD US IN CONFIDENCE (PLEASE PROTECT) THAT THEY NOW HAVE A BASIS OF AN AGREEMENT TO OPERATE THE STAR NEWS CHANNEL THOUGH THEY STILL HAVE A GREAT DEAL TO DO BEFORE FINAL AGREEMENT. THEY EXPECT THE NEXT STAGE TO BE A VISIT TO HONG KONG BY THEIR CHIEF EXECUTIVE ROBERT PHILLIS TO CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS.
3. THERE IS SOME CONCERN ON THE PART OF PROGRAMME SUPPLIERS AND ADVERTISERS OVER THE PROBLEMS OF QUANTIFYING THE AUDIENCE, GIVE THE FREE AIR NATURE OF THE OPERATION. THIS ADDS TO THE PRESSURE ON HUTCHVISION TO ENSURE IT HAS THE SUPPORT OF THE AUTHORITIES IN THE RECEIVING COUNTRIES. WITHOUT IT THEY WILL FIND MARKETING
DIFFICULT.
4. HUTCHISON, WHO ARE IN THE LEAD, ARE A VERY MAJOR AND HIGHLY REPUTABLE HONG KONG COMPANY. THEY OWN HUTCHVISION. COMMENTS FROM US ARE SCARCELY REQUIRED ON CABLE AND WIRELESS WHO OPERATE HONG KONG'S TELEPHONE SYSTEM. CITIC HAVE MADE MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN. MANY HIGHLY REPUTABLE HONG KONG COMPANIES OR GROUPS INCLUDING HONG KONG TELECOM (I.E. CABLE AND WIRELESS'S HONG KONG OPERATION), AND CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS.
5. THERE ARE NO LOCAL CAUSE FOR CONCERN OVER ASIASAT ALTHOUGH
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