Radio host may be sued for defamation
Commercial Radio yesterday said it may sue ousted talk-show host Albert Cheng King-hon for defamation, intensifying the week-long row between the broadcaster and its former employee.
The station also said it was still negotiating to end his contract, despite Cheng's claim on Tuesday that it had offered to reinstate him.
It said a letter sent to Cheng on Tuesday reiterating that Commercial Radio would honour his services contract 'was sent for the purpose of preserving the legal rights of Commercial Radio'.
'The company will continue to work with lawyers to reach a final agreement with Cheng on the early termination of his services contract,' the broadcaster said in a statement last night.
In the meantime, it said, 'the company is considering taking legal action against Mr Cheng, in light of some of the statements made by him in recent days, which the company considers to be defamatory'.
The row began last Wednesday, when a political activist, responding to rumours that Cheng had been sacked, purchased a newspaper advertisement urging the station to explain the situation.
The station's then director Winnie Yu broke her silence and said the station was negotiating with Cheng on an early termination of his five-year contract.
Cheng complained to the ICAC on Tuesday against Commercial Radio over the settlement of his contract.
Cheng is now an independent candidate running in the Kowloon East constituency.
He said last night that he would not comment on the row between himself and his former employer.
In last night's statement, the broadcaster said it had written to the Independent Commission Against Corruption pledging full co-operation to ensure the truth came out over Cheng's claims that it had illegally sought to prevent him from standing for election.
