ENG-2011 — Page 406

350

Chapter 17

Communications, the Media and Information Technology

Hong Kong people are among the most informed in the world, thanks to the city's enterprising news media and telecommunications industry. There are currently close to 700 daily newspapers and periodicals published in Hong Kong. More than 86 per cent of households are broadband service subscribers, while mobile subscriber penetration is over 210 per cent.

Hong Kong has one of the most successful telecommunications markets in the world. The market is fully liberalised and highly competitive, providing a wide range of innovative and advanced telecommunications services at reasonable prices to consumers and business users. It has a vibrant broadcasting industry offering wide range of services to the community and is also one of the world's major film production centres, while through its Digital 21 Strategy, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau strives to establish Hong Kong as a leading digital economy.

The Mass Media

Hong Kong's mass media at the end of 2011 included 50 daily newspapers (including a number of electronic newspapers), 651 periodicals, two domestic free television programme service licensees, three domestic pay television programme service licensees, 17 non-domestic television programme service licensees, one government funded public service broadcaster and four sound broadcasting licensees.

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