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The Media, Communications and Information Technology
operation. In 2013, Hong Kong attended 22 international and regional conferences and meetings.
Broadcasting
Hong Kong is a forerunner in the adoption of advanced broadcasting technologies. The government's broadcasting policy objectives are to widen programme choice and diversity through competition, to facilitate the introduction of new, innovative broadcasting services and to enhance Hong Kong's position as a regional broadcasting hub.
To achieve these objectives, Hong Kong adopts a facilitating and pro-competition approach to promote the application of various innovative broadcasting technologies, and provides a liberalised and light-handed regulatory environment for new broadcasting services to flourish. This allows Hong Kong to enter into a new era of broadcasting, with broadened programming choice and innovative services available to the viewing and listening public. At the end of 2013, Hong Kong had some 700 satellite and pay television channels available in digital format, and was the world leader in deploying Internet Protocol Television technology, with over one million subscribers. There were also 19 licensed satellite television broadcasters providing more than 200 channels for the Asia-Pacific region. The two incumbent terrestrial television broadcasters launched digital broadcasting officially in December 2007. By the end of 2013, there were 15 free-to-air television channels (four analogue and 11 digital free TV channels, of which six are high-definition TV channels). Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), Hong Kong's public service broadcaster, produces programmes of public interest for broadcast on free and pay TV channels. As at the end of 2013, there are five radio stations, including four commercial operators and RTHK, providing a total of 13 analogue and 16 digital audio broadcasting channels in Hong Kong.
Regulatory Approach
Provision of television programme services and the carriage networks in Hong Kong are regulated separately. A television programme service provider may hire any transmission network operator to transmit its service instead of investing in transmission infrastructure itself. This arrangement facilitates market entry and encourages competition,
Under the Broadcasting Ordinance, the four categories of television programme services domestic-free, domestic-pay, non-domestic (mainly satellite television services targeting the Asia-Pacific region) and other licensable television programme services (mainly television services for hotel rooms) - are regulated according to their characteristics and pervasiveness rather than their transmission mode. The provision of sound broadcasting services is regulated under the Telecommunications Ordinance and the Broadcasting (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance.
As a result of its liberalised, light-handed and pro-competition regulatory approach, Hong Kong enjoys a vibrant broadcasting industry and a multitude of television and radio channels with diversified programming.
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