Promoting
Competition
Given our belief that a competitive market can better safeguard consumer interests,
competition regulation is one of our major responsibilities.
In 2002 we issued two sets of competition guidelines setting
out how we propose to enforce and apply statutory provisions
prohibiting anti-competitive conduct in the television market.
In the light of past experience and to provide better practical
guidance to the industry, we have updated the prevailing competition
guidelines for industry consultation. In 2006, we approved
the promulgation of an Accounting Manual to assist television
programme service licensees who also hold telecommunications
licences under the Telecommunications Ordinance to separate
accounts for their television broadcasting and telecommunications
businesses respectively. We believe that account separation
will result in greater transparency to the licensees' operations
and guard against anti-competitive practices like cross-subsidisation
or discriminatory pricing. We are determined to maintain a
level playing field in the broadcasting industry.
Moving Ahead
We are pleased to learn that the Government has responded positively to our comments to their public consultation conducted in May 2006 regarding the establishment of a new Communications Authority merging the Authority and the Telecommunications Authority for the regulation of the entire electronic communications sector. We look forward to contributing further to the process of the regulatory revamp to facilitate the development of the communications sector in Hong Kong as a whole.
Last but not least, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all Members of the Authority, the Complaints Committee, and the Codes of Practice Committee for their dedication and commitment, as well as the staff of the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority under the able leadership of the Commissioner for Television and Entertainment Licensing for their professional advice, diligence and dedication.
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