ENG-1997 — Page 414

COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

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Cantonese news service, and channels devoted to sports, movies, children's programmes and horse racing. Wharf Cable also carries several overseas channels, such as CNN and ESPN. The extra channels offered on the optical fibre network are mostly additional pay-per-view movie channels and an international home shopping channel.

By the end of 1997, about 1 020 000 homes were passed by Wharf Cable's MMDS network, and about 503 000 homes were served by its optical fibre network. The number of household subscribers increased from about 300 000 at the end of 1996, to about 380 000 at the end of 1997.

Satellite Television

Hong Kong is the home base for Satellite Television Asian Region Limited (STAR TV). It transmits more than 45 programming services in seven languages on 25 channels and has an audience reach of approximately 260 million people across Asia, India and the Middle East, using AsiaSat 1 as its primary satellite platform with additional services available on AsiaSat 2 and Palapa C2. The STAR TV network offers subscription and free-to-air television services.

Hong Kong is also home to China Entertainment Television Limited (CETV) and the Chinese Television Network (CTN). Both operate an entertainment channel and CTN also broadcasts a news channel. Several other international broadcasters operate studios in Hong Kong and uplink their signals from Hong Kong, including CNN International, TNT & Cartoon Network, NBC Asia, and Reuters Asia Limited.

About 533 000 households in Hong Kong can receive regional satellite channels. The most popular are the four free-to-air channels broadcast by STAR TV.

Broadcasting Hub of Asia

Many regional and international broadcasters have chosen Hong Kong as their Asian broadcasting hub, attracted by the excellent infrastructure and world-class telecommunications facilities, as well as the other ingredients that make Hong Kong the best place to do business in Asia.

Radio

Hong Kong has 13 radio channels-seven operated by RTHK, three by Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Company Limited (Commercial Radio) and three by Metro Broadcast Corporation Limited (Metro Broadcast). Services operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Services ceased on June 30, 1997, when the People's Republic of China resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong.

Radio Television Hong Kong

RTHK is a publicly-funded, editorially independent broadcaster whose mission is to inform, educate and entertain people through the provision of balanced and objective programmes. It operates seven radio channels, each with a distinct identity.

Between June 29 and July 2, 1997, RTHK led a consortium with ATV, TVB and Wharf Cable to produce a continuous 96 hours of core feed signals to broadcasters and to a satellite uplink covering the Handover Ceremony and the establishment of the HKSAR.