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The Media, Communications and Information Technology

Public Service Broadcasting

RTHK is a government department that serves as the public service broadcaster for Hong Kong. It provides editorially independent, professional and high quality radio, television and new media services. The RTHK Charter enshrines RTHK's editorial independence, and sets out its public purposes and mission and its relationship with the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the CA and the Board of Advisors.

RTHK currently operates 12 radio channels, with three of them using FM, four using AM transmission and five digital audio broadcasting. The station produces around 1,075 hours of radio programmes of different genres in Cantonese, English and Putonghua every week.

RTHK produced about 786 hours of television programmes for broadcasting on Hong Kong's two local free television stations and pay-TV platforms in 2013. Since 1 July 2012, RTHK has been conducting signal tests for three digital terrestrial television (DTT) channels. Seven transmission stations were completed by the end of 2013, extending RTHK's DTT network coverage to about 75 per cent of Hong Kong's population. Upon successful completion of the signal test, RTHK will start the DTT channel trial run.

In addition to 20.3 hours of new school educational television programmes and pre-primary school programmes, an interactive learning platform, eTVonline, provides educational 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 national leaders' official visits, the delivery of the Chief Executive's Policy Address and the ceremonial opening of the Legal Year.

The RTHK website (www.rthk.hk) has an average daily page view of 3.6 million. RTHK continues to harness the multi-media potential of the different emerging media platforms, including providing applications for mobile services ('RTHK Cube, 'RTHK On the Go, 'RTHK Thumb' and 'RTHK Node') and applications for tablet computers ('RTHK Prime'). These bring RTHK productions to local and overseas audiences for their enjoyment any time, anywhere, by any device.

'RTHK Memory; a large-scale online programme archive project launched in 2012, offers public access to over 100 hours of audio and visual contents on the RTHK Memory website (http:// rthk.hk/rthkmemory/), including productions from the early years and much invaluable historical footage.

RTHK launched the Community Involvement Broadcasting Service in 2013, devoting part of its airtime to provide a platform for the community, non-governmental organisations and the underprivileged to participate in broadcasting. The first programme was launched in July and two hours of airtime will be provided every day in the first year.

Recent Developments

The government encourages the deployment of DTT broadcasting technology in Hong Kong to enhance spectrum efficiency and enable the provision of television services of higher quality.

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