LEGISLATORS have raised concerns that appeals against decisions made by the Broadcasting Authority are not being handled impartially.
Under the current Television Ordinance, licensed broadcasters aggrieved by any authority decision may appeal to the Governor-in-Council.
However, in yesterday's bills committee meeting studying the Television (Amendment) Bill, Legco member Mrs Selina Chow Liang Shuk-yee - who is a former chief executive of Asia Television - said she knew of cases where the Governor-in-Council had sent theappeals back to the authority.
Mrs Chow said it was not right that the authority, which was the decision maker, should be permitted to handle appeals.
The Secretary for Recreation and Culture, Mr James So Yiu-cho, conceded that there had been cases in which the Executive Council decided to send the appeals back to the authority. But he assured members that the final say rested with Exco.
He said it was not the Government's but Exco's decision to send the appeals back to the authority.
