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The following is issued on behalf of the Broadcasting Authority:
This press release summarises the outcome of the Broadcasting Authority (BA)'s deliberations in January 2012:
Updated investment plans of Asia Television Limited (ATV) and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB)
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In January 2012, the BA approved the updated investment plans of Asia Television Limited (ATV) and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) for the period from 2013 to 2015 (see Note).
In its existing six-year plan for 2010-15, ATV was committed to investing a total amount of $2,332 million on programming and capital expenditure. Taking into account the updated commitments for 2013-15, ATV now submits that the total amount of proposed investment for 2010-15 would be $2,351 million, or $19 million more than its original commitment of $2,332 million. The increase in proposed investment commitment is attributable to higher expenditure on local productions and co-productions and related expenses for backup support and administration.
On the other hand, in its existing six-year investment plan for 2010-15, TVB was committed to investing a total of $6,336 million on programming and capital expenditure. TVB now proposes to maintain its existing investment plan for the period from 2013 to 2015. The approved TVB investment for 2010-15 remains at an amount of $6,336 million.
Complaint cases
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The BA also considered three complaint cases about licensees' non-compliance with the relevant codes of practice on programme and advertising standards:
(a) A complaint about the television programme "MaBelle Leo Diamond Special: Happy Moment with Diamond 2011" broadcast on the HD Jade Channel of TVB on 10 days in August 2011. The BA decided that TVB should be seriously warned to observe more closely the relevant provisions in the Generic Code of Practice on Television Programme Standards (TV Programme Code) and Generic Code of Practice on Television Advertising Standards (TV Advertising Code);
(b) A complaint about the television programme "Dolce Vita" broadcast on the Pearl Channel of TVB on August 4, 2011. The BA decided that TVB should be warned to observe more closely the relevant provisions in the TV Programme and Advertising Codes; and
(c) A complaint about the television programme "now Late News" broadcast on the now News Channel of PCCW Media Limited (now TV) on May 16, 2011. The BA decided that now TV should be strongly advised to observe more closely the relevant provisions in the TV Programme Code.
Further details of the above cases are available in the Appendix.
The BA noted that in December 2011, the Commissioner for Television and Entertainment Licensing (CTEL) dealt with 181 cases (306 complaints) under its delegated authority, of which five cases (five complaints) were classified as minor breaches and 113 cases (227 complaints) were unsubstantiated. The remaining 63 cases (74 complaints) were found to be outside the ambit of the Broadcasting Authority Ordinance. The monthly figures of complaints dealt with by the CTEL from December 2010 to December 2011 are shown in Figure 1. A chart showing the nature of the unsubstantiated complaints classified by the CTEL in December 2011 is at Figure 2. Five complaints about inaccurate and misleading factual materials were classified as minor breaches in the month of December 2011.
Note: As the investment plans of ATV and TVB for the six-year period from 2010 to 2015 were prepared in mid-2009, ATV and TVB are required under Condition 15.5 of the respective domestic free television programme service licences to submit by the end of 2011 updated investment plans for 2013-15 for the BA's approval.
Ends/Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Issued at HKT 17:33
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