COMMUNICATIONS, THE MEDIA AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
safeguard proper standards of television and sound broadcasting with regards to both programme content (including advertisements) and technical performance.
During the year, the BA submitted its recommendations to the Chief Executive in Council on the renewal of the domestic free television programme service licences of Television Broadcasts Limited and Asia Television Limited and began the renewal exercises of the sound broadcast licences of Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Company Limited and Metro Broadcast Corporation Limited. The BA commissioned a Broadcasting Services Survey and conducted public hearings in 2002 to collect public views on the services of the four broadcast licensees.
In 2002, the BA's Complaints Committee dealt with 34 complaint cases involving a total of 952 complaints. Having considered the recommendations of the Complaints. Committee, the BA issued seven warnings, one serious warning and imposed two financial penalties.
Television
Hong Kong's television viewers have access to over 100 domestic and non-domestic television programme service channels in various languages. These include four free- to-air terrestrial TV channels, 69 pay TV channels and a variety of free-to-air satellite channels.
Domestic Free Television Programme Services
Television Broadcasts
The two domestic free television programme service licensees Limited and Asia Television Limited - are each licensed to broadcast one Cantonese and one English channel. Both stations are required to broadcast programmes produced by the publicly funded Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK).
Domestic Pay Television Programme Services
There are five domestic pay television programme service licensees in Hong Kong Hong Kong Cable Television Limited (HKCTV), PCCW VOD Limited (PCCW VOD), Yes Television (Hong Kong) Limited (Yes TV), TV Plus (HK) Corp. Limited (formerly Pacific Digital Media (HK) Corp. Limited) (TV Plus) and Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited (Galaxy). At year-end, a total of 69 TV channels were being provided by HKCTV, Yes TV and TV Plus. The total number of subscribers exceeded 600 000.
Non-domestic Television Programme Services
Many regional and international broadcasters have chosen Hong Kong as their broadcasting centre in Asia, attracted by the excellent infrastructure and world-class telecommunications facilities, as well as the other advantages that make Hong Kong the best place to do business in Asia. There are 12 non-domestic television programme service licensees providing 55 satellite TV channels to the region, of which 24 channels are receivable in Hong Kong.
The licensees are: Starvision Hong Kong Limited, Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited, APT Satellite TV Development Limited, Starbucks (HK) Limited, Asia Plus Broadcasting Limited, MATV Limited, China Entertainment Television Broadcast Limited, Turner International Asia Pacific Limited, Pacific Satellite International Limited, i-Cable Satellite Television Limited, Sun Television Cybernetworks Enterprise Limited and Pacific Century Matrix (HK) Limited.
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