Date: 6th December 2000

Hong Kong TV Authority Claims Jurisdiction over Local Websites


Hong Kong's Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (TELA), claiming jurisdiction over video footage and other images transmitted over the Internet, charged Tuesday that a local online tabloid, the Cyber Daily, had violated the Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance when it showed one of its reporters engaging in sex with a prostitute.

Reporting on the development, today's (Wednesday) South China Morning Post commented that the footage was shown "on the pretext of 'investigative journalism.'" The newspaper also cited the reaction of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, whose chairman, Mak Yin-Ting, remarked: "This was not professional news reporting. It was totally unnecessary for the journalist to engage in the act, let alone post it on the Web."

Source: Studio Briefing