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The following is issued on behalf of the Communications Authority:
The Communications Authority (CA) today (June 6) published a notice to invite members of the public to express their views on an application for domestic free television programme service licence (free TV licence) by Hong Kong Television Network Limited (HKTV) (Please visit the link: www.coms-auth.hk/filemanager/en/content_711/cp20140606_e.pdf).
The particulars of the application in the notice are provided by the applicant. By issuing this notice, the CA and the Government are not to be treated as confirming the veracity of the particulars of the application. Nor are they to be treated as, in any way, accepting, approving, permitting or providing consent to any aspects of the application including, but not limited to, the proposals for investment commitment, programming arrangements and transmission means. Nothing in the notice shall affect or prejudice any powers, duties, discretion and rights of the CA or the Government.
Apart from publishing the notice in the Gazette, the CA has arranged the notice to be published in two local newspapers (Ming Pao and South China Morning Post) and uploaded onto the CA's website (www.coms-auth.hk/filemanager/en/content_711/cp20140606_e.pdf).
The CA received the application from HKTV on April 11, 2014. The CA will process the application in accordance with the Broadcasting Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 562), the guidance notes promulgated by the CA for processing free TV licence applications and established procedures before submitting recommendations to the Chief Executive in Council, which is the authority to grant a domestic free television programme service licence under section 10(1) of the BO.
Section 9(3) of the BO provides, inter alia, that the CA shall consult the public on the application by publishing a notice in the Gazette stating the name of the applicant and the type of licence sought by the applicant together with such other particulars as the CA thinks fit.
Members of the public may submit their views on the application to the CA by July 17, 2014 through any of the following means:
By post: The Communications Authority
20/F, Wu Chung House
213 Queen's Road East
Wan Chai, Hong Kong
By fax: 2507 2219
By email: consultation-hktv@ofca.gov.hk
All comments received will not be made in confidence unless specified otherwise. The CA may reproduce and publish the submissions received in whole or in part (except confidential information as marked) in any form without seeking the permission of or providing acknowledgement to the party making the submission.
Ends/Friday, June 6, 2014
Issued at HKT 09:38
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