Newspaper alleges libel by TV media-watch presenter
A television host's comments regarding a newspaper's coverage of the academic achievements of handicapped students were defamatory, a writ filed yesterday claimed.
The Director of Broadcasting, Cheung Man-yee, is named as a co-defendant to presenter Ho Kwok-leung in the writ, which was filed in the High Court.
Ho is a host on RTHK's Chinese-language programme Pentaprism, which discusses newspaper coverage each day.
Oriental Daily Publisher, which publishes the Oriental Daily News, claims it was defamed on August 11 when Ho referred to a report headlined 'Handicapped warriors gaining excellent results in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination'.
It charged that Ho's comments meant and were understood to mean that the newspaper was 'discriminatory against students who were physically handicapped and [referred to] new immigrants from the mainland in a derogatory way'.
Solicitors for the Oriental Daily News wrote to Ho and RTHK on August 19, demanding a written apology, a promise not to broadcast the words or similar words, damages and legal costs.
Both parties rejected the demands.
Oriental Daily Publisher is seeking unspecified damages and an injunction.
