ENG-2001 — Page 455

COMMUNICATIONS, THE MEDIA AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Radio

Hong Kong has 13 radio channels - seven operated by RTHK, three by Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Company Limited and three by Metro Broadcast Corporation Limited.

Radio Television Hong Kong

RTHK is a publicly funded, editorially independent broadcaster whose mission is to provide programmes of good quality that inform, educate and entertain the people of Hong Kong.

Film Industry

Hong Kong is a major film production centre. During the year, it produced and released 126 films. Action films, romance and comedies were the main genres.

Going to the cinema is a popular leisure activity, with patrons able to choose from a good variety of foreign and local films. In 2001, there were 62 cinemas (with 186 screens) compared with 63 cinemas (with 178 screens) in 2000. The box-office hits of the year included Shaolin Soccer ($60.7 million), Love on a Diet ($40.4 million) and The Mummy Returns ($40.3 million).

Film Classification System

Hong Kong has a three-tier film classification system: Category I (suitable for all ages); Category II, which is subdivided into Category IIA (not suitable for children) and Category IIB (not suitable for young persons and children); and Category III (for persons aged 18 and above only). The objective is to allow adults wide access to films while protecting persons under the age of 18 from exposure to potentially harmful material.

Category IIA and IIB classifications are advisory (no statutory age restriction is imposed) and are intended to give more information to movie-goers, parents in particular, to help them select films for themselves or their children. Age restriction is mandatory for Category III films.

During the year, 1 169 films were submitted for classification, compared with 1 068 films in 2000. Of these, 334 were classified Category I (one with excisions), 282 Category IIA (none with excisions), 388 Category IIB (15 with excisions), and 165 Category III (52 with excisions). Film trailers, instructional films and cultural films intended for public exhibition also require censorship but do not need to be classified into any category. During the year, 2 880 such items were approved for exhibition. Film classification standards are kept in line with society's standards by regular surveys of community views and consultation with a statutory panel of advisers, comprising about 300 members drawn from a wide cross-section of the populace. A public opinion survey on the film classification system conducted in 2000 showed that the great majority of the public accepted the present system and the prevailing classification standards. Decisions on film classifications may be reviewed by the Board of Review (Film Censorship), a statutory body established under the Film Censorship Ordinance. The board comprises nine non-official members appointed by the Chief Executive, and the Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting as an ex officio member. No review of the censor's decisions took place in 2001.

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