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The following is issued on behalf of the Broadcasting Authority:
The Broadcasting Authority (BA) today (March 30) summarised the outcome of its deliberations in March 2012:
Other Licensable Television Programme Service Licence
In March 2012, the BA approved the application for surrender of the other licensable television programme service licence granted to Broadband Network Systems Limited (BNS) with effect from June 8, 2011. The BA noted that the surrender of licence was due to the winding up of BNS. Currently, there are 28 other licensable television programme service licensees providing television programme services to hotels in Hong Kong.
Domestic Pay Television Programme Service Licence
The BA, pursuant to the relevant conditions in the domestic pay television programme service licence of PCCW Media Limited (PCCW Media), approved PCCW Media's application to provide its domestic pay TV programme service on an additional transmission platform, i.e. via In-Building Coaxial Cable Distribution System (IBCCDS), on top of its existing transmission means, i.e. Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) with digital signals in Internet Protocol television (IPTV) format (Service). In approving PCCW Media's application, the BA had considered whether the employment of the new transmission means would give rise to regulatory issues, including whether PCCW Media would continue to comply with the requirements that the service should be provided on a subscription basis and that a locking device should be provided to the subscribers to the satisfaction of the BA. The approval was subject to the condition that PCCW Media should provide a quarterly report on the number of households receiving the Service, the subscription fees charged for each of the households and written confirmation that subscription fees have been charged for the services and inform all of its subscriber households of the availability of the locking device in a reasonable manner. PCCW Media has been reminded to comply with its submissions and all applicable regulatory requirements in employing the additional transmission means and transmission arrangement.
Complaint Cases
The BA also considered three complaint cases in respect of licensees' non-compliance with the relevant codes of practice on programme and advertising standards:
(a) complaints about the television programme "Dolce Vita" broadcast on HD Jade Channel of Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) on October 1, 2011. The BA decided that TVB should be 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 October 20, 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) complaints about the television advertising magazines of Konew Financial Express broadcast on Jade Channel of TVB on September 11 and 25, 2011. The BA decided that TVB should be advised to observe more closely the relevant provisions in the TV Advertising Code.
Further details of the above cases are set out in the Appendix.
The BA noted that in February 2012, the Commissioner for Television and Entertainment Licensing (CTEL) dealt with 160 cases (193 complaints) under its delegated authority, of which nine cases (10 complaints) were classified as minor breaches and 106 cases (135 complaints), unsubstantiated. The remaining 45 cases (48 complaints) were found to be outside the ambit of the Broadcasting Authority Ordinance. The monthly figures of complaints dealt with by CTEL from February 2011 to February 2012 are shown in Figure 1. A chart showing the nature of the unsubstantiated complaints classified by CTEL in February 2012 is at Figure 2. A chart showing the nature of complaints classified as minor breaches is at Figure 3.
Ends/Friday, March 30, 2012
Issued at HKT 20:21
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