ENG-2002 — Page 442

COMMUNICATIONS, THE MEDIA AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

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The highlight of the year was the ITU TELECOM ASIA 2002 held from December 2 to 7 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Hong Kong had hosted this prestigious event in 2000. Encompassing an international telecom exhibition and a special session of the World Telecom Forum, the event in 2002 attracted over 21 000 visitors and 319 exhibitors from 127 countries. Officiating with the Chief Executive at the opening ceremony were Minister of Information Industry, Mr Wu Jichuan, and the Secretary-General of the ITU, Mr Yoshio Utsumi. A first-ever Youth Forum for talented university students from the Asia-Pacific region was held in conjunction with the event. Immediately following the event, Hong Kong hosted the ITU Global Symposium for Regulators, for telecommunications policy-makers and regulators from all over the world to exchange views and experience on regulatory issues. Attended by more than 150 representatives from 50 national regulatory authorities, the symposium was held outside the ITU headquarters in Geneva for the first time.

Broadcasting

Broadcasting Policy and Regulation

The broadcasting policy objectives are to promote programme choice and diversity through competition, to facilitate introduction of new, innovative broadcasting services and to enhance Hong Kong's position as a regional broadcasting hub.

Pursuant to the policy initiatives arising from the comprehensive review of the television policy in 1998, the Government has put in place a transparent and technology-neutral regulatory regime under the Broadcasting Ordinance to foster fair and effective competition in the market and to promote plurality and diversity in television programme services.

Under the Broadcasting Ordinance, the four categories of television programme services - domestic free, domestic pay, non-domestic and other licensable television programme services that may be licensed are regulated in accordance with the nature and pervasiveness of the services rather than the transmission mode. The former two categories of licences are issued by the Chief Executive in Council, and the latter two by the Broadcasting Authority (BA).

The Government has opened up the television market for competition and there are three more new domestic pay television programme service licensees. The new services are expected to bring in no fewer than 70 television programme channels.

To encourage and facilitate the use of state-of-the-art technology in broadcasting services, the Government has conducted a public consultation on digital terrestrial broadcasting. It is reviewing the 23 submissions received and taking stock of the latest developments overseas with a view to finalising the way forward for digital broadcasting within 2003.

Broadcasting Authority

Licensed broadcasters are regulated by the BA, whose members are appointed from various sectors of the community, in addition to three public officers. The BA's major functions are to make recommendations to the Chief Executive in Council with respect to the licensing 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