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The following is issued on behalf of the Broadcasting Authority:
In December, 2007, the Broadcasting Authority approved the application by Goodnews Communication International Limited for an "other licensable television programme service" licence to provide a television programme service in hotel rooms. The period of validity of the licence is three years, from December 5, 2007, to December 4, 2010 (both dates inclusive). There are now 25 "other licensable television programme service" licensees providing services to about 80 hotels in Hong Kong.
The authority also approved in November the applications of Shangri-La Hotel (Kowloon) Limited, Bauhinia Hotels Limited and Sheraton International (Hong Kong) Limited for renewal of their respective "other licensable television programme service" licences to provide television programme services in hotel rooms.
In relation to complaint cases, the authority considered complaints from the public against two programmes. The first case was about the radio programme "Investment Era" broadcast on Radio 1 Channel of Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) on September 22, 2007, from 9.20am to 10.30am. The second case was about the radio programme "Early Birds" broadcast on the Showbiz Channel of Metro Broadcast Corporation Limited (Metro) on September 24, 2007, from 7am to 9.30am. Please see Appendix for details.
The authority also noted that in November, the Commissioner for Television and Entertainment Licensing dealt with 100 cases (182 complaints) under her delegated authority, of which four cases (four complaints) were classified as minor breaches, and 77 cases (158 complaints) as unsubstantiated, under section 11 of the Broadcasting Authority Ordinance. Nineteen cases (20 complaints) were outside the ambit of section 11 of the ordinance. Please refer to the authority website: www.hkba.hk for details of the complaints.
Appendix:
Summary of Substantiated Complaint Cases:
Case 1 - Radio programme "Investment Era" broadcast on Radio 1 Channel of Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) on September 22 from 9.20am to 10.30am.
A member of the public complained that a programme host uttered a foul expression during the programme.
The authority noted that (i) the programme under concern was a financial programme featuring information on investments; and (ii) at around 9.53am, a host uttered a downright offensive expression when he talked to a caller and a guest host about the economic development around Tianjin and Bo Hai.
The authority considered that the expression uttered in the programme was a foul expression which was regarded as offensive and unacceptable for broadcast on a sound broadcasting service by an average person.
RTHK was given an advice to observe paragraph 15 of the Radio Code of Practice on Programme Standards which prohibits the use of offensive expressions on radio.
Case 2 - Radio programme "Early Birds" broadcast on the Showbiz Channel of Metro Broadcast Corporation Limited (Metro) on September 24 from 7am to 9.30am
A member of the public complained that the programme host's repeated suggestion to another host that he could pour engine oil on the roadway was misleading and might have serious consequences if listeners followed his suggestion.
The authority noted that (i) the programme was a light-hearted talk show. In the edition under complaint, after reading headlines in newspapers, the hosts chitchatted about a sports car accident. One host mentioned that there were illegal car races at night around the place he lived at Pok Fu Lam Road and he wondered what he could do about it. Another host suggested that he could pour engine oil on the roadway and repeated the suggestion thrice during the conversation; and (ii) though the other host refused to take the suggestion, there was no clear message that the suggested act was undesirable and should not be carried out.
The authority considered that (i) though the suggestion might not be made out of ill intentions, it was irresponsible for the host to repeat it several times in the programme which might bring serious consequences to road users; and (ii) notwithstanding the light-hearted nature of the programme, the host's suggestion encouraged illegal and dangerous conduct; and (iii) nonetheless, the irresponsible suggestion was made in passing in the two-and-a-half hour programme.
Metro was given an advice to observe more closely paragraph 6 of the Radio Code of Practice on Programme Standards which provides that programmes should be handled in a responsible manner.
Ends/Monday, December 31, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:31
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