Forwarded from 📡Guardians of Hong Kong
#Statement
It’s time to change the channel…RTHK awaits you
RTHK was struck, twice, on 4 March.
1. The Communications Authority announced it will cancel the requirement for free local TV licence holders to broadcast RTHK programming. This means that channels such as TVB and ViuTV can now stop broadcasting RTHK programmes if they so wish. (Prior to this announcement, broadcast licence holders TVB and HKTVE were obliged to broadcast 3.5 hours and 2.5 hours of RTHK programmes per week respectively on their integrated Chinese channels.)
2. Police Commissioner Chris P.K. Tang wrote to the Director of Broadcasting (of RTHK) and the Communications Authority again, criticising the content in a clip on "Headline News" which he claimed has caused viewers to have the wrong impression of the HKPF and has led to a misunderstanding about the police.
However, most do not know about the RTHK Board of Advisors, who are gearing up for the establishment of a “task force“. Their intentions are clear: they are attempting to go beyond their role as advisors to the Director of Broadcasting and intervene in the daily affairs of RTHK. Eugene Kin-Keung Chan, the chairperson of the committee, has asked the RTHK to provide internal information with respect to the police's complaint against "Headline News" - an obvious example of the committee's intervention.
The facts are before us: the government is using various means to target the factual reporting of RTHK, an entity within its own system. The RTHK Programme Staff Union declares the following:
• First, TVB has only been paying the administrative fee to the Communications Authority and the Spectrum Utilization Fee was waived, which is an advantage over other telecommunications providers. In return for waiving this fee, TVB was required to uphold the social responsibility of broadcasting RTHK programmes. Without this obligation to pay the Spectrum Utilization Fee and without the requirement to broadcast RTHK programming, TVB stands to benefit from scheduling programmes that can bring in more revenue. With public interest in mind, the Spectrum Utilization Fee should be now be payable by TVB.
• Secondly, the program "Headline News" did not accuse the police of hoarding anti-epidemic supplies. The first episode of 「驚方訊息」 "Scary Information" disclosed the fact that the police force was provided with a higher grade of protective equipment than the healthcare workers. The emphasis was on the quality, not the quantity.
• Finally, clips in the episode are real news clips, viewers can judge for themselves. Commissioner Tang seems to be making a mountain out of a mole hill when he complained about what he perceived to be a negative portrayal of the police force. Besides, we have the “Police Report" program which has been in production for 40 years now is well-known to public. We are afraid that Commissioner Tang is overly concerned about whether our viewers are developing a misunderstanding of police officers.
RTHK has always been a part of Hong Kong. In this time of unrest, our staff members will continue to uphold justice, protect editorial freedom along with the freedom of speech. We openly invite friends of RTHK to continue enjoying our programs.
RTHK Programme Staff Union
3 March 2020
Source : RTHK Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/rthkunion/posts/2948473551841109
#RTHK #PoliceState #WhiteTerror #Censorship #FreedomOfSpeech
It’s time to change the channel…RTHK awaits you
RTHK was struck, twice, on 4 March.
1. The Communications Authority announced it will cancel the requirement for free local TV licence holders to broadcast RTHK programming. This means that channels such as TVB and ViuTV can now stop broadcasting RTHK programmes if they so wish. (Prior to this announcement, broadcast licence holders TVB and HKTVE were obliged to broadcast 3.5 hours and 2.5 hours of RTHK programmes per week respectively on their integrated Chinese channels.)
2. Police Commissioner Chris P.K. Tang wrote to the Director of Broadcasting (of RTHK) and the Communications Authority again, criticising the content in a clip on "Headline News" which he claimed has caused viewers to have the wrong impression of the HKPF and has led to a misunderstanding about the police.
However, most do not know about the RTHK Board of Advisors, who are gearing up for the establishment of a “task force“. Their intentions are clear: they are attempting to go beyond their role as advisors to the Director of Broadcasting and intervene in the daily affairs of RTHK. Eugene Kin-Keung Chan, the chairperson of the committee, has asked the RTHK to provide internal information with respect to the police's complaint against "Headline News" - an obvious example of the committee's intervention.
The facts are before us: the government is using various means to target the factual reporting of RTHK, an entity within its own system. The RTHK Programme Staff Union declares the following:
• First, TVB has only been paying the administrative fee to the Communications Authority and the Spectrum Utilization Fee was waived, which is an advantage over other telecommunications providers. In return for waiving this fee, TVB was required to uphold the social responsibility of broadcasting RTHK programmes. Without this obligation to pay the Spectrum Utilization Fee and without the requirement to broadcast RTHK programming, TVB stands to benefit from scheduling programmes that can bring in more revenue. With public interest in mind, the Spectrum Utilization Fee should be now be payable by TVB.
• Secondly, the program "Headline News" did not accuse the police of hoarding anti-epidemic supplies. The first episode of 「驚方訊息」 "Scary Information" disclosed the fact that the police force was provided with a higher grade of protective equipment than the healthcare workers. The emphasis was on the quality, not the quantity.
• Finally, clips in the episode are real news clips, viewers can judge for themselves. Commissioner Tang seems to be making a mountain out of a mole hill when he complained about what he perceived to be a negative portrayal of the police force. Besides, we have the “Police Report" program which has been in production for 40 years now is well-known to public. We are afraid that Commissioner Tang is overly concerned about whether our viewers are developing a misunderstanding of police officers.
RTHK has always been a part of Hong Kong. In this time of unrest, our staff members will continue to uphold justice, protect editorial freedom along with the freedom of speech. We openly invite friends of RTHK to continue enjoying our programs.
RTHK Programme Staff Union
3 March 2020
Source : RTHK Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/rthkunion/posts/2948473551841109
#RTHK #PoliceState #WhiteTerror #Censorship #FreedomOfSpeech
Forwarded from 📡Guardians of Hong Kong
#Statement #Frontpage
Students and Alumni of La Salle College Denounce Beijing's Forced Implementation of National Security Law in Hong Kong
The statement was printed on the frontpage of Apple Daily on June 20, crowdfunded by students and alumni of La Salle College.
They called themselves "a group of LaSallians who refuse to be re-presented".
The statement quoted the classical Chinese four-character idiom: "to restrain oneself and return to propriety." Juxtaposed with the words "Country" and "Hong Kong" and the use of two colors, the line can also suggest the country to stay restrained and that Hong Kong will then return to propriety.
Source: Apple Daily #Jun20
#LaSalleCollege
Students and Alumni of La Salle College Denounce Beijing's Forced Implementation of National Security Law in Hong Kong
The statement was printed on the frontpage of Apple Daily on June 20, crowdfunded by students and alumni of La Salle College.
They called themselves "a group of LaSallians who refuse to be re-presented".
The statement quoted the classical Chinese four-character idiom: "to restrain oneself and return to propriety." Juxtaposed with the words "Country" and "Hong Kong" and the use of two colors, the line can also suggest the country to stay restrained and that Hong Kong will then return to propriety.
Source: Apple Daily #Jun20
#LaSalleCollege
Forwarded from 📡Guardians of Hong Kong
#Statement
#G7, #EU and the #Five Eyes Express Concerns Over China's Control of Hong Kong #LegCoElection
//The Five Eyes and G7 together with the high representatives of the European Union, have issued joint statements expressing deep concern that the Chinese Communist Party has taken away the few remaining democratic elements of Hong Kong's electoral system.
Both statements pointed out that the newly reformed electoral system, with fewer directly elected seats and new vetting procedures that restrict voter choice, undermines the high degree of autonomy promised to Hong Kong in the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
Both joint statements call on China to act in accordance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration and other legal obligations, and to respect the basic human rights and freedoms of Hong Kong as promised in the Basic Law.
They also called on the Chinese and Hong Kong governments to stop suppressing dissenting voices and to stop unreasonably suppressing those who advocate democratic values and defend freedom and human rights.//
[Editor's notes: The Five Eyes countries are the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand.
The G7 countries are US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.]
Read the statements by the UK Foreign Ministry:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-issues-joint-statement-with-international-partners-on-hong-kong-elections-20-december-2021
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/g7-foreign-ministers-issue-joint-statement-on-hong-kong-elections
Source: Hong Kong Watch #Dec21
https://www.facebook.com/HongKongWatchOrg/posts/4540172279436543
#HongKongWatch #LegcoElection #FakeElection
#G7, #EU and the #Five Eyes Express Concerns Over China's Control of Hong Kong #LegCoElection
//The Five Eyes and G7 together with the high representatives of the European Union, have issued joint statements expressing deep concern that the Chinese Communist Party has taken away the few remaining democratic elements of Hong Kong's electoral system.
Both statements pointed out that the newly reformed electoral system, with fewer directly elected seats and new vetting procedures that restrict voter choice, undermines the high degree of autonomy promised to Hong Kong in the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
Both joint statements call on China to act in accordance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration and other legal obligations, and to respect the basic human rights and freedoms of Hong Kong as promised in the Basic Law.
They also called on the Chinese and Hong Kong governments to stop suppressing dissenting voices and to stop unreasonably suppressing those who advocate democratic values and defend freedom and human rights.//
[Editor's notes: The Five Eyes countries are the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand.
The G7 countries are US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.]
Read the statements by the UK Foreign Ministry:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-issues-joint-statement-with-international-partners-on-hong-kong-elections-20-december-2021
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/g7-foreign-ministers-issue-joint-statement-on-hong-kong-elections
Source: Hong Kong Watch #Dec21
https://www.facebook.com/HongKongWatchOrg/posts/4540172279436543
#HongKongWatch #LegcoElection #FakeElection
GOV.UK
Hong Kong elections, 20 December 2021: Foreign Secretary's joint statement with international partners
The UK, along with the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, has issued a statement following the Hong Kong legislative council elections.