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An RTHK satire criticised by Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa as being in bad taste was not impartial enough, the Broadcasting Authority ruled yesterday.

The authority, giving its most lenient form of reprimand, issued an 'advice' to the public broadcaster over Headliner, a 30-minute programme that likened the Government to Afghanistan's ousted Taleban, screened on TVB Jade on October 13.

'The authority considered that the programme, being a current affairs programme and not classified as a personal view programme, should observe the provisions governing impartiality,' the authority said.

'The authority considered that the programme as a whole had failed to strike a fair balance among different viewpoints on the Policy Address.'

Without referring to Mr Tung, the programme said the Taleban had ignored the sufferings of its people and wanted to hang on to power.

A segment called Superman's Special Report, said: 'At times of severe hardship for people in Afghanistan, the Taleban Government still worked hard to produce its last Policy Address for him to stay for another five years.'

Mr Tung said a few days later: 'I don't want to comment on those bad-taste productions.'

RTHK said last night it respected but was disappointed with the verdict, and stressed that the segment was satirical.

'RTHK disagrees with the Broadcasting Authority's classification of Headliner  as a current affairs programme, as it carries a substantial number of fictitious and non-factual segments,' a spokesman said.

'The audience generally expects to have a good laugh when they watch a satirical segment and would not confuse it with serious commentary in regular current affairs programmes.'

The station also proposed that the Broadcasting Authority consider expanding its guidelines to include a category for satire, to allow for the diversity of programming and creativity in the television industry.



RTHK satire 'not impartial enough'