TNAG-2277-FCO40-3276-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-1991 — Page 52

15 MORETON TERRACE LONDON SWIV 2NS

071 834 9176

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18th October 1991

BBC WORLD SERVICE TELEVISION

I was SO sorry not to be able to see you on Thursday with John McCormick, to tell you about our trip to Hong Kong. I tried to telephone you, but could get no reply. Here is a brief report, which I think John will have given you anyway.

The Launch in Hong Kong was a very successful one and everyone I spoke to was in agreement on this. A number of people told me how important they thought the new venture was from the purely Hong Kong angle: that is it underlined the British presence and interest in Hong Kong and hence provided a bit of moral support for Hong Kong in the uncertain years up till 1997. Stephen Phelps was slightly worried about one or two technical imperfections in the Presentation. I think these were unimportant: the important thing was the general impact made in Hong Kong amongst those who matter there and this was very great.

There is no doubt that Ii Ka Shing and his family were delighted. I spent some time with all of them, and made one or two resounding declarations to Mr. Li about how happy the

BBC were with their partnership with him. I stressed the tremendous importance the venture had for the future of the Service and told him that we were celebrating one of the most important days in the BBC's history. I said the Chairman wanted me to congratulate him personally, and I added our gratitude for the consistent support given you by his son, Richard. I spoke in similar terms to Richard myself and to his brother, Victor, who sat next to me throughout the Presentation.

Sir David Ford

the Deputy Governor was present at the Presentation, and I called on him the next day. He said that he thought the BBC had done a very good thing in teaming up with Hutchvision. There were some excellent people in it at all levels and he spoke highly of Messrs. Murray and Magnus in particular. He believed the Li family were wholly dedicated to the success of the enterprise. In his view there was absolutely no risk that they would seek to interfere in any way with the programme or editorial content of the Service.

/As to the attitude

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