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In response to media enquiries, a spokesman for the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau today (January 21) expressed concern over the issue in which Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) issued a statement following an advice by the Broadcasting Authority (BA).
RTHK first entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the BA in 1995, under which it undertook to abide by the BA's codes of practice on programme standards. The Memorandum of Understanding was last updated in 1999 and was signed by the then Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting, the Director of Broadcasting and the Chairman of the BA.
The Producers' Guidelines of RTHK also undertake to abide by the BA's codes of practice on programme standards.
The BA yesterday (January 20) issued a strong advice to RTHK over an episode of the television programme "Hong Kong Connection". RTHK was urged to observe more closely paragraph 2 of Chapter 2 (family viewing policy), paragraph 1 of Chapter 7 (likely effects of all material shown on television on children), and paragraphs 2 and 3 of Chapter 9 (impartiality) of the Generic Code of Practice on Television Programme Code.
The spokesman said that in view of the advice issued by the BA, the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr Joseph W P Wong, would meet with the Director of Broadcasting as soon as possible to understand what measures would be taken by the RTHK to fully fulfill its responsibilities under the Memorandum of Understanding.
The spokesman stressed that the move was targeted at RTHK's fulfillment of responsibilities under the Memorandum of Understanding, and there was no question of interference with the freedom of expression.
Ends/Sunday, January 21, 2007
Issued at HKT 20:41
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