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Media and Communications
TV programmes and their carriage networks are regulated separately. A TV programme service provider may choose to engage any transmission network operator to transmit its service instead of investing in transmission infrastructure itself. This arrangement facilitates market entry and encourages competition.
The Broadcasting Ordinance regulates the four categories of TV programme services - domestic free, domestic pay, non-domestic (mainly satellite TV services targeting the Asia-Pacific) and other licensable TV programme services (mainly TV services for hotel rooms) - according to their characteristics and pervasiveness. Sound broadcasting services are regulated under the Telecommunications Ordinance and Broadcasting (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance.
At the end of 2019, Hong Kong had over 800 satellite and pay-TV channels available in digital format. As a forerunner in deploying internet protocol TV technology, the city had more than one million subscribers. Twelve licensed satellite TV broadcasters provided more than 220 channels for the Asia-Pacific region. Three domestic free-TV licensees operated 12 free-to-air channels, comprising three analogue channels and nine digital channels in high-definition format.
As to radio, two sound broadcasting licensees provided six radio channels as at the year end.
Public Service Broadcasting
Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) is a government department that serves as the city's public service broadcaster. It provides editorially independent, professional and quality radio, TV and new media services. The RTHK Charter enshrines RTHK's editorial independence and sets out its public purposes, mission and relationship with the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the CA and the RTHK Board of Advisors.
RTHK operates three FM and four AM radio channels. In 2019, the station produced 1,130 hours of diversified radio programmes in Cantonese, English, Putonghua and other languages every week, including 16 hours of radio programmes under the Community Involvement Broadcasting Service.
RTHK operates three digital terrestrial television (DTT) channels, two of which are carried on the analogue platform as well. Starting from 2019, all RTHK TV channels provide 24 hours' broadcast. By April, 29 transmitting stations were taking the DTT network coverage to about 99 per cent of the population.
The station harnesses the multimedia potential of new media platforms, providing a number of mobile applications. Average daily visits of over 614,000 were recorded for the RTHK website in 2019. Some programmes offered Bahasa Indonesia and Nepalese subtitles, audio descriptions and sign language interpretation to cater for the corresponding ethnic minorities and deaf or blind users.
Digital Television
In February 2019, the government announced that Hong Kong would implement full digital TV broadcast from 1 December 2020. Two commercial free-TV broadcasters and RTHK provide
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