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CHAPTER 19

Communications, the Media and Information Technology

THE start of the new millennium saw Hong Kong maintaining its long-standing position as a leading international centre in communications. A powerful boost to the dissemination of information has been given by the introduction of rapidly developing new technologies and the opening up of markets in these fields.

In telecommunications alone, the liberalisation of the market and the licensing of new services using advanced and innovative technology are expected to lead to further substantial investments, worth more than $20 billion, in the next five years.

In broadcasting, the Government took a major step in liberalising the television market by introducing new pay television licences. The new services are expected to bring in many more television programme channels. A vibrant television market will not only widen viewers' choice, but also enhance Hong Kong's position as a regional broadcasting hub.

The public's access to information has been widened: an administrative code of practice on access to government information, committing the Government to even greater transparency in its work, has been in effect since 1995.

The rights of the individual are also safeguarded. Legislation is in place on the collection, holding, processing and use of personal data. This legislation, based on international principles, is enforced by an independent data protection authority.

Hong Kong's media is among the most vibrant in Asia, and more newspapers and periodicals joined the ranks of its flourishing free press in 2000.

The Mass Media

Hong Kong's mass media at the end of 2000 included 59 daily newspapers, a number of electronic newspapers, 717 periodicals, two commercial television companies, a subscription television service, a regional satellite television service, one government radio-television station, and two commercial radio stations.

The availability of the latest in telecommunications technology and keen interest in its affairs have attracted many international news agencies, newspapers with international readership and overseas broadcasting corporations to establish regional headquarters or representative offices in Hong Kong. The successful regional publications produced in Hong Kong underline its strong position as a financial, industrial, trading and communications centre.