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Broadcasting

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Media and Communications

Commercial Broadcasting

Hong Kong is a forerunner in the adoption of advanced broadcasting technologies. The government's broadcasting policy objectives are to widen programme choice and diversity through competition, to faciliate the introduction of innovative broadcasting services, and to enhance the city's position as a regional broadcasting hub. To achieve these objectives, Hong Kong adopts a facilitating and pro-competition approach to promote the use of innovative broadcasting technologies, and provides a liberalised and light-handed regulatory environment for new broadcasting services to flourish.

At the end of 2016, Hong Kong had some 800 satellite and pay-TV channels available in digital format, and was the world leader in deploying Internet Protocol Television technology, with more than one million subscribers. Seventeen licensed satellite TV broadcasters provided more than 190 channels for the Asia-Pacific region. For domestic free-TV programme service, there were eight free-to-air channels, comprising two analogue channels and six digital channels in high-definition (HD) format, operated by two free-TV licensees. A new operator, Fantastic Television, was granted a free-TV licence on 31 May 2016 and will launch a Cantonese channel in one year's time.

As to radio, Hong Kong's two sound broadcasting licensees provided a total of six analogue radio channels as at the year end.

Regulatory Approach

Television programme services and their carriage networks are regulated separately. A service provider may hire any transmission network operator to transmit its service instead of investing in transmission infrastructure itself. This arrangement facilitates market entry and encourages competition.

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Under the Broadcasting Ordinance, the four categories of TV programme services - domestic- free, domestic-pay, non-domestic (mainly satellite TV services targeting the Asia-Pacific) and other licensable TV programme services (mainly TV services for hotel rooms) are regulated according to their characteristics and pervasiveness rather than their transmission modes. Sound broadcasting services are regulated under the Telecommunications Ordinance and Broadcasting (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance.

Hong Kong's liberalised, light-handed and pro-competition regulatory approach has resulted in a vibrant broadcasting industry and a multitude of TV and radio channels with diversified programming.

Public Service Broadcasting

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

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