Differing views on TV stations' plea for programme changes

If ATV and TVB don't want to broadcast English-language programmes then let them give up the franchise for the two channels.

I am sure that there are many who would be happy to pick these franchises up.

Many years ago, the government let out the franchises under the current conditions. However, TVB and ATV continually try to change those conditions. They already have Nicam. Now they want to have the whole cake and to eat it.

A survey says 61 per cent support non-English programmes. However, some 98 per cent of the population is 'local', so I am not surprised at the result.

One solution would be to go digital and then we could have almost as many channels as we wanted, in as many languages as we wished.

JEREMY M. BARR

Central