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The following is issued on behalf of the Broadcasting Authority:
This press release summarises the outcome of Broadcasting Authority (BA) deliberations in May 2011:
Changes in shareholding structure of Television Broadcasts Limited
The BA approved the application of Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) for a change in its shareholding structure arising from the transfer of 2.59% of TVB shares from Shaw Foundation Hong Kong Limited to four organisations, viz the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Red Cross and Hong Kong Shue Yan University Limited by way of donation, with retrospective effect from March 31, 2011.
In approving the application, the BA was satisfied that the shareholding change would not give rise to regulatory concerns and that TVB will continue to comply with its licence and applicable regulatory requirements under the Broadcasting Ordinance (Cap 562).
Complaint cases
The BA considered three complaint cases in respect of licensees' compliance with the relevant codes of practice on programme and advertising standards:
(a) A complaint against the television programme "To Experience the Taste of Tai Pan 2010" broadcast on the Jade and HD Jade Channels of TVB from September 15-17, 2010. The BA considered that the complaint was in essence the same as that against the first seven episodes of the programme for which TVB was found in breach of the relevant provision in the Generic Code of Practice on Television Advertising Standards and that a sanction had already been imposed on TVB. The BA decided that no further sanction should be imposed on TVB;
(b) A complaint against TVB for its omission of verbal announcement for "Parental Guidance Recommended" (PG) for various "PG" television programmes broadcast on the J2 Channel of TVB from February 22, 2011 to March 19, 2011. The BA decided that TVB should be warned to observe more closely the relevant provision in the Generic Code of Practice on Television Programme Standards (TV Programme Code); and
(c) A member of the public was dissatisfied with the decision of the Commissioner for Television and Entertainment Licensing (CTEL) on the complaint about the television programme "Fly with Me" broadcast on the Jade Channel of TVB from April 19, 2010 to May 22, 2010. The BA decided that TVB should be advised to observe more closely the relevant provision in the TV Programme Code.
Further details of the above cases are available in the Appendix.
The BA noted that in April 2011, the CTEL dealt with 147 cases (211 complaints) under its delegated authority, of which 10 cases (10 complaints) were classified as minor breaches and 94 cases (135 complaints) were unsubstantiated. The remaining 43 cases (66 complaints) were held to be outside the ambit of the Broadcasting Authority Ordinance. The monthly figures for complaints dealt with by the CTEL from April 2010 to April 2011 are shown in Figure 1. A chart showing the respective nature of the unsubstantiated complaints classified by the CTEL in April 2011 is in Figure 2. A chart showing the respective nature of complaints which were classified as minor breaches is in Figure 3. Further information about the complaints is available at the BA website (www.hkba.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:10
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