TVB's Lee family may have breached TV licensing rules
Late station co-founder's relatives found out only recently that they held more than one broadcasting permit, which is against the law
The influential Lee family of TVB - including flamboyant socialite Christina Lee Look Ngan-kwan - may have been illegally holding more than one broadcasting licence for years.
The government revealed yesterday that the family of the late TVB co-founder Harold Lee Hsiao-wo is related to a man who owns a hotel with a licence for television services within its premises. This means that under government regulations, the family is not eligible to control a television station without the Executive Council's approval.
TVB did not seek the government's permission on the matter until February. Exco approved the application for Harold Lee's son Anthony Lee to control the free-to-air television company as a non-executive director beginning yesterday.
But it rejected applications to grant retrospective approval to Anthony, Harold's widow Christina Lee and Anthony's cousin Chien Lee for their prior control over the station. This means members of the Lee family have been in breach of the law from 2009 until this year.
Chien ceased to be an independent non-executive director of TVB in May. Christina Lee retired as non-executive director in February 2012. Anthony Lee has served as an alternate director since 2002.
The Lee family has held huge sway over TVB since Harold Lee co-founded the station with the late Sir Run Run Shaw in 1967.
Christina Lee joined the board in the early 1980s after her husband's death. The socialite, known for her fashion sense and extravagant cheongsam collection, has since become the face of the television station, offering toasts at its anniversary celebrations every year.
The Broadcasting Ordinance stipulates that no one should hold two local broadcasting licences unless the person is granted special permission by the Chief Executive in Council.
TVB said the breach was unintentional. "It came to their attention only recently that a hotel - remotely held by a conglomerate unrelated to TVB, of which Mr [Anthony] Lee's cousin was an independent non-executive director - had obtained another licensable television programme service licence," it said.
TVB said it took the regulations seriously and has been implementing rigorous measures to ensure compliance. Directors are required to make a declaration every six months, it added.
A Communications Authority spokesman said the authority will demand TVB's submission of representation over the matter. It will then decide whether the ordinance was breached after considering the law, TVB's representation and other factors. Depending on the severity of the breach, if any, it could issue advice or a warning, or impose a fine.
TVB's free-to-air licence expires next year. The station has applied for renewal, the result of which is pending.
