TV licensing could be discussed again in wake of HKTV snub fury
Executive councillor hints at need to question controversial decision to snub HKTV, as commentators come up with alternative plans
One of the chief executive's closest aides believes the television licensing issue could be put before the Executive Council again, and said the government was monitoring the city's reaction to its decision to leave HKTV out of the picture.
Executive Councillor Fanny Law Fan Chiu-fun, who headed Leung Chun-ying's office when he was chief executive-elect, said: "I believe Exco could have a chance to discuss the licence issue again."
When Law - who said on Wednesday that there was no room for a U-turn on the licensing decision - was asked if her comment meant Exco would discuss the controversy, she would only say: "Under the confidentiality rule, the Exco agenda should not be revealed."
She was speaking after former chief secretary Anson Chan Fang On-sang called on Exco members to revisit the controversial decision to award licences to i-Cable's Fantastic TV and PCCW's Hong Kong Television Entertainment, but not HKTV, which is run by entrepreneur Ricky Wong Wai-kay.
On a radio programme yesterday, Chan said: "The government should have the courage to … reverse a wrong decision."
Its decision saw 36,000 to 80,000 protesters - depending on whether the police or the organisers' estimate is taken as correct - descend on government headquarters on Sunday. A group of about 100 HKTV staff have since remained camped out at Tamar demanding an explanation.