Hong Kong broadcasting watchdog defends decision on broadcasting spectrums
Communications Authority chairman defends approach as body faces possible legal challenge
Using an administrative approach to assign broadcasting spectrums is fair, the Communications Authority said yesterday as the regulator faced a possible legal challenge to its decision not to auction off this scarce public resource.
"If somebody really has got a licence … if they failed in an auction to bid for the spectrum, they would not be able to roll out their service," said Ambrose Ho Pui-him, the authority's chairman.
Ho was defending the assignment of some spectrums to be withdrawn from troubled broadcaster ATV to PCCW's HK Television Entertainment Company, which has been awarded a free-to-air television licence.
His remarks came after Cheung Chau resident Kwok Cheuk-kin applied for a judicial review over this arrangement.
Kwok filed the application to the High Court as he found the commissioner's decision was in breach of the common law and Competition Ordinance.
"We have, under the legislation, a duty to ensure an efficient use of spectrums," Ho said.
