Awaiting a Democratic Hong Kong.
An interesting tid-bit from an article discussing the possibility of privatizing our public radio networks. I am not sure if we privatize it, there would be less pressure to conform to political standards and self-censor. I think it would only increase, as most advertisers are increasingly ingratiating themselves to the government to take a chunk out of the China market. I think the best way for RTHK to maintain their independence is do what the BBC does, ignore the government, maintain they will stay independent as a code of ethics. Along with making a commitment to report every incident where they feel pressure and increase transparency of its operation.
Barrister Ronny Tong, of the Article 45 Concern Group, said an RTHK
employee had also told him that an internal poll taken last September
showed that 90 percent of staff believed the station was being
suppressed by the government, compared with only 5.9 percent who said
there was no pressure.
RTHK privatization option will be ‘explored’
Michael Ng
July 22, 2005
Director of Broadcasting Chu Pui-hing said Thursday he will explore the feasibility of privatizing public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong, although broadcasting secretary John Tsang has said the government did not have such a plan.
The question of privatization was raised at a Legislative Council broadcasting panel meeting by medical sector legislator Kwok Ka-ki, who questioned the government’s motives and the reduction of funds allocated to the station.
“By slashing RTHK’s funding, is the government trying to dry up the station’s resources?” he asked.
Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Broadcasting John Tsang denied the charge. “Since the government has also cut funding to all bureaus and departments, can it also be said it’s drying up their resources?” he asked.
“Every department now needs to reduce expenses, and our bureau is fortunate in that it’s not the worst affected.”
Tsang said the government has no plan for the time being to privatize RTHK, as this would raise additional issues such as where its funds will come from, how to redeploy the civil servants now working at the station and how to settle the huge amount of compensation involved.
But Tsang agreed to provide legislators with a document defining the government’s policy on public broadcasting and the difficulties that would arise from privatization.
Chu, who is also RTHK’s chief, said he believed privatizing the station was feasible and worth looking into. “It will, at least, resolve public doubts about our editorial independence and add flexibility to our operations.”
He said RTHK had already decided to set up three committees to widely consult its staff and the public. One will concentrate on the direction of its strategic development, while another will try to improve internal communication between RTHK directors and staff. The third will aim to strengthen the broadcaster’s external communication, with a public consultation session some time in the fourth quarter of this year.
Chu denied suggestions he was acting against the government, or trying to solicit public pressure to force it to consider privatization.
He noted that RTHK now hires 500 civil servants, including about 100 clerical-grade staff, who can be re-deployed to other government bureaus or departments in the event of privatization. But he said the cost of such a move has yet to be calculated.
An RTHK staff representative told the Legco panel she and most of her colleagues were shocked last month when Chief Executive Donald Tsang, Chief Secretary Rafael Hui and John Tsang all suggested that live horse-racing broadcasts be axed.
“With the chief executive and other top officials dressing down our programs, we became terribly frightened,” said Janet Mak, who chairs the Radio Television Hong Kong Program Staff Union.
Barrister Ronny Tong, of the Article 45 Concern Group, said an RTHK employee had also told him that an internal poll taken last September showed that 90 percent of staff believed the station was being suppressed by the government, compared with only 5.9 percent who said there was no pressure.
Tong asked Tsang whether the government will do anything to allay this fear.
Tsang said the staff have nothing to fear. “It [RTHK] has become somewhat of a conspiracy factory. If the staff pay less attention to conspiracy theories, I believe their fears will disappear,” he said, adding the government will never interfere in RTHK’s operations.
Chu hoped that creating the three committees will help dispel such fears and enable staff to have a better working environment.
The panel also discussed the recent sacking of popular political commentator Raymond Wong by Commercial Radio. Legislators Leung Kwok-hung and Albert Cheng believed political pressure had been applied, as it was unusual for a station to fire a popular commentator at the risk of lowering its audience rating.
However, Lorna Wong, the Commissioner for Television and Entertainment Licensing, said the broadcaster had the right to hire or fire any employee, and such action did not breach the station’s licensing conditions.
Yan Sham-Shackleton Online 