ENG-2011 — Page 430

370 Communications, the Media and Information Technology

The BA examines and updates its regulatory approach and codes of practice periodically to ensure that public expectations are met and that the operators have sufficient flexibility to operate effectively and efficiently. It engages the public through a 540-member television and radio consultative scheme as well as through focus group discussions to collect audience feedback.

Public Service Broadcasting Radio Television Hong Kong

Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) is a government department tasked with providing high quality and professional public service broadcasting through radio, television and new media platforms. It is editorially independent.

RTHK currently operates 12 radio channels, with three of them using FM, four using AM transmission and five digital audio broadcasting (DAB) channels on trial run. The station produces over 1 030 hours of radio programmes of different genres in Cantonese, English and Putonghua every week.

To enhance the listening quality of radio broadcasting, five DAB channels were soft launched in November 2011. One of the channels relays programmes especially produced for the Hong Kong audience from the China National Radio. The other four DAB channels carry simulcast of RTHK AM channels to improve reception quality. Plans are under way to introduce community involvement broadcasting service to provide a platform for interested parties in the community to participate in broadcasting.

RTHK produced about 630 hours of television programmes for broadcasting on Hong Kong's two commercial television stations and pay-TV platforms in 2011. In addition to 41.3 hours of new school educational television programmes and pre- primary school programmes, an interactive learning platform, eTVonline, provides information to complement the Government's education policies. RTHK also provides local and overseas broadcasters with audio and video pool feeds of events of public interest, such as the annual National Day celebration and flag raising ceremony, the official visits of the national leaders, the delivery of the Policy Address by the Chief Executive and the ceremonial opening of the Legal Year.

In August 2010, a RTHK Charter, governing the operation of RTHK as the public service broadcaster in Hong Kong, was promulgated. The charter enshrines the editorial independence of RTHK. It also sets out the mission, role and functions of RTHK and the department's relationship with the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, the BA and the Board of Advisors. The broad-based Board of Advisors was established in the same month to provide advice to RTHK. The station is planning the implementation of various new services, including the preparation for the future launch of digital terrestrial television service and the reprovisioning of Broadcasting House in Tseung Kwan O.

'RTHK on INTERNET' (www.rthk.hk), launched in 1994, continues to be popular with an average daily hit rate of 34 million. RTHK continues to harness the multi- media potential of the different emerging media platforms, such as licensing web content to mobile operators and providing podcasting services. In 2011, on top of two applications for mobile services, i.e. 'RTHK-on-the-go' and 'm.rthk.hk', it