20 January 2015

Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) takes the Disqualified Person (DP) provisions seriously and has been implementing rigorous measures to ensure compliance with the DP restriction.

In response to Communications Authority's (CA) finding that TVB had breached the Broadcasting Ordinance and the licence condition by allowing disqualified persons to exercise control, a TVB spokesman said the breach was an unintentional lapse.

"Directors are required to make a declaration as to their DP status every six months.  But in this case, the three directors concerned could not have declared something that they were not aware of," the spokesman said.

"It was a genuine oversight by Mr Chien Lee who did not realise that he had become a DP upon the grant of an other licensable television programme service licence to a hotel remotely held by Swire Properties Hotel Management Limited, of which Mr Lee was an independent non-executive director.

"The lapse was discovered by Mr Chien Lee as a result of TVB's efforts in reviewing and strengthening its compliance monitoring system.  TVB had acted responsibly by reporting the lapse to CA as soon as possible."

Subsequent application by TVB for one of the directors concerned, Mr Anthony Lee, to continue to exercise control of the company as a DP was approved by the Chief Executive in Council.

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