A senior official at Radio Television Hong Kong has resigned amid a change in editorial procedures introduced by a government bureaucrat who took the helm at the public broadcaster in March.

Assistant director of broadcasting Brian Chow has tendered his resignation, effective sometime next week, Apple Daily learnt.

The 50-year-old former radio DJ sat on a newly established nine-member panel at RTHK that scrutinized programs to ensure their content complies with the broadcaster’s charter and other requirements.

Some staff members and observers view the new process as a means to censor content critical of the Hong Kong and mainland Chinese governments.

Patrick Li, a career bureaucrat, was appointed director of broadcasting to head RTHK in March. Since then, the broadcaster has pulled a number of TV programs off the air, including episodes of the award-winning “Hong Kong Connection”, “Hong Kong Stories” and “Legco Review”.

Production staff will have money deducted from their salaries, pensions or other remuneration to cover the costs of programs that are pulled from airing for “improper” content, under the new rules.

Li’s appointment was followed by those of four other former government bureaucrats into senior positions at RTHK.

Chow’s resignation came after reports emerged last week that another assistant director of broadcasting, Jace Au, in charge of the station’s TV businesses, went on sick leave.

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