Particulars Healing Hands II (妙手仁心II)
Source: The Straits Times
Date: 12 Jan, 2001
News from: Hongkong Broadcasting Association
(courtesy by Avilyn)

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(TVB Jade, 21.11.2000 & 20.12.2000, 9:15pm - 10:20pm)

Seven viewers complained about the drama serial. Six complainants alleged that the portrayal of a doctor smoking cigarettes undermined the image of doctors and exerted a bad influence on young people. One of the six complainants requested a ban on all smoking scenes while another opined that the portrayal was contradictory to the Government's anti-smoking campaign. The seventh complainant alleged that the term "甦醒" in the Chinese subtitles was incorrectly written as "蘇醒".

Findings
The Commercial Television Code of Practice on Programme Standards (the Code) has provisions governing the protection of children and the portrayal of material unsuitable for children's viewing. The Code also stipulates that the use of cigarette shall be avoided except when it is necessary for the development of the plot or characterization, and that no programme may contain any material which is likely considered to be denigrating or insulting to any person(s) or group(s) on the basis of social status. The drama serial under complaint was a "PG" (Parental Guidance Recommended) programme broadcast outside the family viewing hours. In the episodes broadcast on 21.11.2000 and 20.12.2000, an off-duty woman doctor was smoking while she was waiting for her friends and talking with other characters respectively. The portrayal was brief and restrained, and was justified for characterization purpose. It was acceptable for broadcast in a "PG" programme at the scheduled hours not targeting children. The portrayal was unlikely to undermine the image of doctors. The complaints were unsubstantiated. As regards the allegations of inaccurate Chinese subtitles and contradiction to the anti-smoking campaign, and the request for banning all smoking scenes, they were outside the remit of the Broadcasting Authority.

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