港台電視部英文組及港台工會聯合聲明
關注電視部英文台監製「被退休」 行政凌駕專業 趕絕資深傳媒人
港台電視部英文組全體同事及港台工會，關注近日港台管理層以不合理的行政命令和程序，藉已屆退休年齡為由「趕絕」電視部資深製作人員，令「被退休」員工日後不得以任何形式為港台提供服務。港台資深傳媒人逐一「被退休」，我們擔心言論空間和公共廣播公信力會被削弱。
港台管理層在去年 6 月公佈新的行政規定，在公務員事務局對非公務員合約僱員沒有既定退休年齡及續聘限制下，「一刀切」收緊所有港台退休員工（包括公務員和非公務員合約員工）的續聘程序。新安排規定港台以任何形式 （包括主持常用的短期合約 - 服務提供者合約）聘用已「退休人員」，均必須經由行政部呈交廣播處長親自批核及按情況行使酌情權。
至今年四月，在兩輪公開招聘沒有合適人選、繼任安排不明的情況下，管理層通知電視部英文台監製貝格理先生 Mr Gary Pollard（非公務員）他將不獲續約。英文組全體員工此後曾兩次發信予廣播處處長鄧忍光，指出在沒有合理交接期和人選的情況下，拒絕續聘現任監製定必嚴重影響節目質素和員工士氣。英文組曾多次透過不同渠道約見處長，唯處長一直拒絕當面向員工交代拒絕行使酌情權的理據，漠視英文節目質素、員工的訴求和士氣，我們對此強烈不滿。
香港正值多事之秋，英語節目特別是時事節目，是唯一渠道將本港社會、政治最新動態帶到非華語的世界，不少國際傳媒亦會透過本港英語新聞了解香港情況。對於港台管理層漠視英文節目質素，把港台由邁向國際化變成局限於本地化，我們深感遺憾。我們亦憂慮，此等不顧節目質素、行政凌駕專業的壞先例一開，明年屆滿六十歲的《城市論壇》監製和主持謝志峰先生（非公務員）亦會被波及，一個又一個資深敢言的製作人員將絕跡港台。
我們強烈要求並促請港台管理層，包括廣播處長鄧忍光，停止以行政程序「陰乾」節目製作和質素，清洗、趕絕港台資深製作人員。政務官和行政部門對專業電視、電台製作的要求缺乏了解，眾多「外行管內行」的行政手段，已令前線製作人員處處受掣肘。廣播處長僅持政務官思維而妄顧節目質素，根本無法履行公共廣播機構總編輯的責任。
香港電台電視部英文組
香港電台節目製作人員工會
二零一四年七月三十日
RTHK English TV and Programme Staff Union Joint Statement
Our concern regarding refusal to renew contract of Executive Producer of English TV Administrative concerns overriding professionalism and creativity Veteran journalists being driven out of public broadcasting
All English TV group members, all presenters of RTHK English TV programmes, and the RTHK Programme Staff Union, express great concern that RTHK management is using recently revised regulations, and illogical administrative orders and procedures, to drive away experienced veteran journalists and Executive Producers when they reach a nominal retirement age. Staff being forced out are no longer allowed to provide their service to RTHK in any capacity, except with very rare exception. Veteran broadcasters are being forced out one by one and silenced in public broadcasting. We are deeply concerned that freedom of expression and the role of public broadcasting are being weakened and restricted.
Last year in June, RTHK issued a new memorandum tightening the regulations on employing retirees on all staff. Despite the fact that the Civil Service Bureau itself has no compulsory retirement age for non-civil service contract staff, who do not have pensions, RTHK still implements across-the-board restrictions in employing all RTHK retirees (including Civil Service and non-civil service contract staff). The new restrictions apply to all staff reaching retirement age. Hiring them after this age requires the Departmental Unit to seek the Directing of Broadcasting’s personal approval and Two recruitment exercises were conducted in April this year to find a suitable person to fill the post of RTHK English TV Executive Producer, currently held by Mr Gary Pollard, as a non-civil service contract staff. Both exercises failed to find a suitable candidate.
Despite this, with an unclear succession plan in place, or plan for the future, the management told Mr Pollard his contract won’t be renewed after it ends in August. The English group has written two petition letters to DB Roy Tang, pointing out that with no suitable replacement, and the lack of any succession planning or transition period, the refusal to renew the current EP’s contract will seriously affected programme qualities and staff morale. The English group had tried repeatedly through different channels to request a meeting with DB. He has refused to meet the group to discuss the matter or to explain his refusal to exercise his exemption. We are strongly dissatisfied with his lack of concern about the quality of English programming and the English TV group’s worries.
We have continually raised issues about programme quality and good journalism, but the answers we receives solely reference administrative and not creative or morale Hong Kong is going through a difficult time. English programmes, particularly current affairs programmes, are the only channel for the non-Chinese speaking community to know what’s going on in Hong Kong. It is only through English-language media that the international community can measure the pulse of Hong Kong. For RTHK to neglect English programming, to try to localise it instead of treating it with respect as an international platform is a regrettable matter. We are deeply worried such neglect of programme quality, administration overriding and interfering with professionalism, will set a very bad example for other veteran journalists. As an example, the presenter of
“City Forum”. Mr Joseph Tse, also on a non-civil service contract, will reach retirement age next year. More and more experienced voices like those of Mr Tse and Mr Pollard will disappear irrevocably from RTHK.
We strongly urge the Director of Broadcasting and RTHK management to stop using administration to stifle programming-making, to stop disregarding programme quality and creativity, and driving away creative talents and experienced broadcasters. The lack of understanding of programme making from an Administrative Officer, and the “outsider-running-insider” state of affairs, compounded by increasingly suffocating administrative procedures is already coming close to paralyzing frontline producers.
In this instance, the Director of Broadcasting, by placing his role as an Administrative Officer ahead of the issue of preserving programme quality and staff morale, is signally failing in fulfilling the other half of his responsibility: that of being an editor in chief of a public broadcasting organisation and its output.
RTHK English TV section
RTHK Programme Staff Union