Radio rebels face probe after illegal broadcast
Organiser vows to continue, despite government investigation and arrest risk
Activists who made an unauthorised radio broadcast on a frequency used by a station owned by Li Ka-shing are being investigated by the government.
But Tsang Kin-shing, chief organiser of the rebel Citizens' Radio, vowed to continue the illegal broadcasts and risk arrest to increase public awareness of what he described as restrictions on broadcasting freedoms in Hong Kong.
On Monday, the rebel station transmitted for 90 minutes on the 102.8 FM frequency, within the band used by the Metro Finance station owned by Mr Li. The transmission reached Wan Chai, Causeway Bay and parts of Happy Valley.
A spokeswoman for the Office of the Telecommunications Authority said: 'Regarding the case of Citizens' Radio, we may make a prosecution if we have sufficient evidence.'
Under the Telecommunications Ordinance, it is illegal to possess or use unlicensed apparatus that generates radio waves.
The penalties for breaking the law are five years' jail and a maximum fine of $100,000.
Mr Tsang said his fellow activists suspected the location of their transmission on Monday had been discovered by government officers.
'Although I am prepared to be arrested, I don't want to get caught so soon. I hope more people will become aware of the issue because this is a fight to create room for freedom of speech on the public airwaves,' Mr Tsang said.
Despite using an $8,000 transmitter ordered through the internet, Mr Tsang said the technical results of the trial broadcast were satisfactory and the underground station had the capability to expand coverage to other areas.
It is understood the station could operate from the back of a truck, which would be driven to different locations each day.
A close friend said Mr Tsang considered the transmission to be an act of civil disobedience because the government had yet to respond to the station's licence application.
'He wants to become a martyr. If the government arrests him, fines him and jails him, then he will lose his seat on [Eastern] District Council. It will let people see how the government wants to monopolise the public airwaves,' the friend said.
Alice Kwok Yim-ming, the corporate affairs director of Metro Broadcast Corporation, said the company had approached the authority yesterday to express its concern over the unauthorised broadcast.
The company, which operates the Metro Finance station, will write to the authority today.
'The unauthorised broadcast created confusion and seriously misled the audience. The authority has a duty to handle the matter in accordance with laws,' Ms Kwok said.
She said her company would closely monitor the actions of Citizens' Radio.
Legislator 'Long Hair' Leung Kwok-hung, who is helping Mr Tsang, plans to raise the issue in the legislature next week.
