Two Hong Kong broadcasters have received warnings from the city’s telecommunications watchdog over current affairs programs that discuss last year’s anti-extradition bill protests.

Public broadcaster RTHK erred in failing to include police responses to critical comments carried in four editions of its five-minute television show “Pentaprism,” aired between September and November last year, the government’s Communications Authority said on Tuesday.

The series, identified as a commentary program, featured a host recounting and commenting on the protests and the police’s treatment of demonstrators. Some of the protest events covered were the Prince Edward train station incident on Aug. 31 last year; two shootings by police officers, in Tsuen Wan on Oct.1 and in Sai Wan Ho on Nov. 11; and the arrest of a protester in Ma On Shan on Oct. 7.

None of the four editions contained the police’s side of the story, thereby potentially hurting the reputation of the force, the authority said.

It ruled as justified a complaint earlier lodged against the RTHK program over the four editions, and said the broadcaster had breached the General Code of Practice on Television Program Standards for failing to give the criticized party an appropriate and timely opportunity to respond.

The RTHK Programme Staff Union said the authority’s decision was unfair. Police responses to comments made by the hosts of the programs in question had been repeatedly aired on the broadcaster’s TV channel, the union said. The hosts were more often the ones who responded to, illustrated or commented on police statements than the other way round, it added.

The public station said it had been notified about the authority’s decision and had removed the related content from its website.

Meanwhile, the watchdog also strongly advised private operator Commercial Radio Hong Kong to observe the code of practice following a complaint against its morning current affairs commentary programs “Clearday Breakfast” and “On a Clear Day” in July and August last year.

Three remarks made by a host that were critical of police at protest scenes were not factually accurate, were misleading and distorted the picture, or were contradicted by other media reports, the authority said.

The remarks carried serious and unfair criticisms that could hurt police reputation despite not seeking, on the surface, to denigrate or incite hatred, the authority said.

The host of the segment concerned, veteran commentator Poon Siu-to, resigned from the radio station in July this year citing personal reasons.

Commercial Radio said it respected the authority’s decision and would continue to abide by the code of practice.

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