ENG-1994 — Page 402

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COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

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A package of measures to further enhance the public's access to information was announced in 1994.

An administrative code of practice on access to government information, which will commit the government to even greater transparency in its work, is to be implemented in 1995.

New legislation based on international principles governing the collection, holding, processing and use of personal data will be enforced by an independent data protection authority.

Proposals by the Law Reform Commission to strengthen copyright protection over broad- casting, literary works, videotapes and computer programmes were also under consideration at the year's end.

In the telecommunications area, the deregulation of local fixed telecom services and the licensing of new telecom technologies are expected to attract more than $5 billion worth of investments in the next 10 years.

The government also continued to reinforce Hong Kong's long-standing role as a media hub for Asia.

In 1994, a further eight new newspapers and 181 new periodicals joined the ranks of the territory's flourishing free press. Among them was Hong Kong's third English-language newspaper.

The News Media

The news media in Hong Kong includes 76 daily newspapers (including one in Braille), 663 periodicals, two commercial television companies, a subscription television service, a regional satellite television service, one government radio-television station, two com- mercial radio stations and a radio station for the British Forces.

The availability of the latest in telecommunications technology, together with growing interest in Hong Kong affairs, has attracted a large number of international news agencies, newspapers with international readership and overseas broadcasting corporations to establish regional offices in the territory. In addition, many international news media representatives have their regional base here. Regional publications are also produced here very successfully, underlining the territory's strong position as a financial, industrial, trading and communications centre.