BROADCASTING AND TELEVISION (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

7.10 p.m.

The Minister for Culture (Mr Jek Yeun Thong): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Sir, the Bill now before this House seeks to amend the Broadcasting and Television Act by adding a new subsection to section 3 of the Act to provide that the Government and any employee of the Government shall not be liable for any loss or damage sustained by a person as a result of an error, omission or inaccuracy in any broadcast matter transmitted under the Act.

The news bulletins broadcast by TV and Radio are based, in part, on news supplied by international news agencies, such as Reuters. UPI and ASP. In the agreement between the Broadcasting Department and the news agency for the supply of news, there is a clause, which is standard in all such Agreements, that although the news agency will do its utmost to ensure the accuracy and prompt delivery of its news service, it will, however, not be liable for any loss or damage to the Broadcasting Department as a result of any error, omission or inaccuracy on the part of the news agency. This leaves the Government in an unsatisfactory position as there is no provision in the Broadcasting and Television Act to exempt the Government and its employees from liability for any loss or damage arising from any error, omission or inaccuracy in its broadcasts of the news supplied by the agency.

It is unlikely that the news agency will not honour its Agreement to provide accurate, prompt and uninterrupted news service. Nevertheless, there is always the possibility of error, omission or inaccuracy in the news supplied by the news agency caused by the fault of their servants, agents or others. Should there be any error, omission or inaccuracy in RTS' broadcasts, as a result of any fault or omission on the part of the news agency, the Government would have no protection against claims brought by the public, since the Government would be precluded from obtaining indemnity from the news agency.

The new subsection (2) introduced by clause 2 of this Bill is to guard against such claims brought against the Government by the public. It will give the Government the same protection as the news agency seeks by its Agreement with the Broadcasting Department.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill -[Mr Jek Yeun Thong].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed~