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The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The public service broadcasting systems in Canada, United States and United Kingdom and related issues will be the focus of the Legislative Council Panel on Information Technology and Broadcastingˇ¦s duty visit to these three places from April 11 to 21, 2006.
The delegation of the Panel comprises four members, including Hon Sin Chung-kai (Panel Chairman and delegation leader), Hon Albert Cheng Jinghan (Deputy Chairman of the Panel), Hon Emily Lau and Hon Margaret Ng (a non-Panel member). They will look into the public service broadcasting systems in these countries and related issues with particular reference to the following areas:
(a) the accountability, institutional arrangement and funding for public service broadcasters;
(b) the role of public service broadcasting in the relevant broadcasting market vis-a-vis that of commercial broadcasters;
(c) editorial independence of public service broadcasting and freedom of expression;
(d) the impact of technological advancement (such as digitisation) on the development of public service broadcasting; and
(e) the provision of public access channels.
The overseas duty visit is part of a study conducted by the Panel into issues related to public service broadcasting with a view to formulating certain views on the way forward for a policy option most appropriate for Hong Kong. Members have considered it useful to visit selected overseas public service broadcasters for the purpose of acquiring first-hand information on their experience and exchanging views with the parties concerned.
An independent committee, the Committee on Review of Public Service Broadcasting, was appointed by the Chief Executive on January 17, 2006, to review the public service broadcasting in Hong Kong. The Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting aims to complete its study and submit a study report to the Legislative Council House Committee in early July, 2006. A copy of the study report will also be made available to the Administration and the Committee on Review of Public Service Broadcasting for their reference.
Ends/Friday, April 7, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:51
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