HK to Broadcast Patriotic Programs

Broadcasters must show 30 mins of patriotic content per week

The Hong Kong government is further regulating what people can watch and hear on local airwaves, stipulating that free-to-air broadcasters must include at least 30 minutes per week of content promoting national security and patriotism.

Not only that but this content needs to be presented in a light-hearted, funny and creative way.

Free-to-air broadcasters like TVB, ViuTV, and HOY TV, as well as radio stations Commercial Radio and Metro Broadcast must include this content as part of a licensing requirement on top of 90 minutes of current affairs programs.

The content must be shown in a light-hearted way

All five broadcasters accepted the change in policy.

Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah said broadcasters could decide how they presented the topics.

"It's a general licensing requirement. It's up to the broadcasting company to come up with their individual program," he said.

"According to the licensing requirement, we can closely monitor how the content is delivered and review it from time to time."

A government source said it did not have concrete ideas on how the broadcasters could fulfil the new rule.

"It's up to the stations regarding the format and programs. We seldom put restrictions on that. They only have to tell us what they have done to comply with the requirement," the source said.

So the government wants more patriotic content but doesn't know how it should be presented, except in a light-hearted way?

How can NSL be made into a funny topic? 

How is national security a topic one can be creative with when it is so vague that anyone can get into trouble violating it?

Interestingly this requirement does not apply to private TV stations, such as foreign programs and sports channels.

Well... if they are broadcasting local games then the Chinese national anthem is played, right? That's patriotic content, is it not?

According to a Legislative Council paper published on Wednesday, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said safeguarding sovereignty and security, as well as promoting a sense of national identity, were among the current administration's policies and deemed the new rule "necessary and timely".

One lawmaker, Doreen Kong Yuk-foon, suggested that topics like national education and patriotism should be taught in schools, not on the TV, but added that perhaps these topics could be presented in "dynamic" and "varied" formats such as game shows and singing competitions to prevent them from being too boring.

Seriously?

It's the blind leading the blind, while the broadcasters have no choice but to follow along...