COMMUNICATIONS, THE MEDIA AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
PCCW VOD Limited launched the world's first commercial scale video-on-demand service in 1998. It now offers a wide variety of interactive, multimedia services for its subscribers in Hong Kong.
The Government granted new domestic pay television programme service licences during the year.
Non-Domestic Television Programme Services
Many regional and international broadcasters have chosen Hong Kong as their Asian broadcasting centre, attracted by the excellent infrastructure and world-class telecommunication facilities, as well as the other advantages that make Hong Kong the best place to do business in Asia.
Hong Kong is the home base for Satellite Television Asian Region Limited. It transmits 28 channels in seven languages and has an audience reach of approximately 300 million people across Asia, using AsiaSat 3S as its satellite platform. The other three non-domestic television programme service licensees Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited, APT Satellite Glory Limited and Starbucks (HK) Limited uplink a variety of satellite television channels from Hong Kong for reception by the viewers in the region.
In June, a telecommunications licence was granted to Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited to launch and operate a satellite carrying the four Broadcasting Satellite Service channels assigned to Hong Kong by the International Telecommunication Union. The satellite is scheduled to be launched in 2002.
Radio
Hong Kong has 13 radio channels. -seven operated by RTHK, three by Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Company Limited and three by Metro Broadcast Corporation Limited.
Radio Television Hong Kong
RTHK is a publicly funded, editorially independent broadcaster whose mission is to provide programmes of good quality which inform, educate and entertain the people of Hong Kong.
Film Industry
Hong Kong is a major film-producing centre. During the year, it produced 150 films compared with 95 in 1999. Action films, romance and comedies are the main genres. Going to the cinema is a popular leisure activity, with patrons able to choose from a good variety of foreign and local films. In 2000, there were 63 cinemas (with 178 screens) compared with 72 cinemas (with 189 screens) in 1999. The biggest box-office hits of the year included Mission Impossible 2 ($36.1 million), Toy Story 2 ($35.7 million) and Needing You ($35.2 million).
Film Classification System
Hong Kong has a three-tier film classification system: Category I (suitable for all ages); Category II, which is subdivided into Category IIA (not suitable for children) and Category IIB (not suitable for young persons and children); and Category III (for
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