ENG-1997 — Page 413

COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

conferences and meetings convened by the International Telecommunication Union, the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum, the Asia Pacific Telecommunity, the Pacific Telecommunications Council, the International Maritime Organisation, the World Trade Organisation, and various conferences, seminars and exhibitions convened by the private sector in the telecommunications industry.

Broadcasting

Broadcasting Policy and Regulation

The Secretary for Broadcasting, Culture and Sport oversees broadcasting policy, the aims of which are to promote choice and diversity through competition, while regulating programme standards to ensure that public standards of taste and decency are observed. Broadcasting licences are issued by the Chief Executive in Council, and administered on his behalf by the Broadcasting Authority (BA), with administrative support from the Commissioner for Television and Entertainment Licensing.

In May 1997, the government published the licensing framework for video-on- demand television services and invited applications for licences. Four applications were received and, the Chief Executive in Council approved in principle in November that a licence should be issued to Hongkong Telecom VOD Limited, subject to negotiation on the terms and conditions of the licence.

Broadcasting Authority

Licensed broadcasters are regulated by the BA, whose 12 members include nine appointed members drawn from various sectors of the community, and three public officers. The BA's major function is to secure proper programme, advertising and technical standards for broadcasting licensees.

In early 1997, the BA concluded the mid-term review of Metro Broadcast Corporation Ltd's Sound Broadcast Licence. It was renewed for its remaining term. During 1997, the BA's Complaints Committee dealt with 289 complaints. On advice from the Complaints Committee, the BA issued seven warnings and one serious. warning, and imposed one financial penalty amounting to $100,000.

Terrestrial Television

The two commercial stations, Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) and Asia Television Limited (ATV), are each licensed to broadcast one Cantonese and one English-language channel until 2002. During 1997, the two stations broadcast about 603 hours of programmes each week. Serialised dramas, entertainment magazines, game contests and variety specials remained the most popular programmes.

Both stations are required to broadcast programmes produced by the publicly- funded Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), which produces about 10 hours of programmes weekly to supplement the commercial TV stations' output.

Cable Television

Wharf Cable Limited is licensed to operate a pay TV service until 2005. It broadcasts a total of 35 channels - 20 of them transmitted on Microwave Multipoint Distribution System (MMDS). Those served by the fibre-optic network get all 35 channels. The service includes several locally-produced channels, notably a 24-hour

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