COMMUNICATIONS, THE MEDIA AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
New Developments
In the light of emerging media and technological convergence, the Government is conducting a review of the broadcasting regulatory regime to ensure that the regulatory framework remains conducive to new business developments in the broadcasting industry. It is planned to consult the public on the outcome of the review in 2004.
The Government encourages the deployment of digital terrestrial broadcasting technology in Hong Kong to enhance spectrum efficiency and enable new and better services such as high-definition television broadcasting to be introduced. The Government published a second consultation paper on digital terrestrial broadcasting in December 2003 for a three-month consultation. It was proposed that the existing two terrestrial television broadcasters should start simulcasting their existing television services in analogue and digital forms in 2006 with a view to achieving territory-wide digital coverage by 2008.
Broadcasting Authority
Licensed broadcasters are regulated by the BA which comprises members from various sectors of the community and three public officers. The BA's major functions are to make recommendations to the Chief Executive in Council with respect to the licensing and renewal of domestic free and domestic pay television programme services and sound broadcasting services; to issue non-domestic and other licensable television programme service licences; to administer the provisions of licences; and to safeguard proper standards of television and sound broadcasting with regard 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 sound broadcast licences of Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Company Limited and Metro Broadcast Corporation Limited, and the licensing arrangement for PCCW-VOD to replace its video-on-demand service by a multi-channel service, the subscription of which is on an innovative ‘a la carte' basis. It also commenced the licence renewal exercise of the Domestic Pay Television Programme Service of Hong Kong Cable Television Limited (HKCTV) and commissioned an opinion survey and conducted a public hearing to collect public views on the service of HKCTV.
In 2003, the BA's Complaints Committee dealt with 32 complaint cases involving a total of 613 complaints. Having considered the recommendations of the Complaints Committee, the BA issued five warnings.
Television
Hong Kong's television viewers have access to over 159 domestic and non-domestic television programme service channels in various languages. These include four free- to-air terrestrial TV channels, 130 pay TV channels and a variety of free-to-air satellite channels.
Domestic Free Television Programme Services
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The two domestic free television programme service licensees Television Broadcasts 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).
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