Talking points

The Legislative Council's panel on broadcasting will be listening today to the views of concerned groups on the renewal of licences next year. Both TVB and ATV have attracted controversy. TVB has been accused of taking advantage of its dominant position in the market, while cash-strapped ATV has frequently fallen foul of watchdog the Communications Authority - often due to allegations of interference by its mainland investor, Wong Ching. Both - but especially ATV - have faced complaints of pro-Beijing bias.

Voters in the Crimea will take part in a referendum tomorrow to choose between remaining in Ukraine or joining neighbouring Russia. The vote, organised by the region's government, follows the uprising in Kiev and the incursion of Russian troops into the peninsula. The autonomous region has a 60 per cent ethnic Russian population.