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Following is a transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, to the media after attending a radio programme today (October 16):
Reporter: What's the reason why HKTV did not receive a licence, is it because in the basics, compared to other competitors, they are inferior?
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development: In assessing the applications, the CE (Chief Executive) in Council had decided to take a gradual and orderly approach, having considered a range of considerations I outlined many times yesterday already. I will not repeat here. And also, according to a set of criteria to consider the relative competitiveness of the applicants, and it came to view that according to the gradual and orderly approach and in view of the applicants' information given including the representations that they had made, actually many rounds of representations with various parties, the CE in Council has come to the view that Fantastic TV (Fantastic Television Limited) and HKTVE (Hong Kong Television Entertainment Company Limited) will be granted the approval-in-principle.
Reporter: Would you say because they are much more experienced in the field compared to ...?
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development: They had looked at a whole range of criteria including the programme strategy and the capacity, as well as a whole range of other considerations.
Reporter: So why is confidentiality the only reason that you can't tell us?
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development: Because it is important, because a lot of these assessments are based on information given by the applicants, some of which is confidential, and the assessments were made on that basis, so I would not be at liberty at this time to disclose this information. It presents some difficulties for me to go into greater detail than what I have been given so far.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:33
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