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Media and Communications

RTHK operates 12 radio channels, with three of them using FM transmission, four using AM and five using digital audio broadcasting (DAB). The station produces more than 1,100 hours of diversified radio programmes in Cantonese, English and Putonghua every week. Its DAB 31 channel broadcasts productions under a Community Involvement Broadcasting Service two hours a day.

RTHK produces TV programmes of public interest for broadcast on free and pay-TV channels. It also operates three digital terrestrial television (DTT) channels, all broadcasting in HD format. Two of these channels have been carried on the analogue platform as well since 2 April. In 2016, RTHK produced 1,369 hours of programmes for broadcasting on its TV channels as well as free and pay-TV platforms. Six fill-in stations were completed during the year, taking the DTT network coverage to more than 80 per cent of Hong Kong's population. RTHK will continue to establish the remaining 16 fill-in stations to extend its network coverage to about 99 per cent of the population, matching that of commercial DTT broadcasters.

To complement the government's education policies, RTHK produces 20.7 hours of new educational TV programmes for pre-primary, primary and secondary schools and operates an interactive learning platform, eTVonline. It also provides filming and technical support as well as audio and video signals to local and overseas broadcasters to air events of public interest, such as the National Day celebration and flag-raising ceremony, Chief Executive's Policy Address and ceremonial opening of the legal year.

RTHK harnesses the multimedia potential of emerging media platforms, including providing applications for smart TV as well as mobile services RTHK Cube, RTHK Mine, RTHK News, RTHK On the Go and RTHK Screen, to meet the diverse needs of the public. The station recorded average daily page views of 5.1 million on its website in 2016.

During the year, RTHK produced a series of special programmes for the Rio Olympics and Legislative Council General Election. It also increased the number of productions with simultaneous sign language interpretation and provided Indonesian subtitles in selected.

programmes.

Recent Developments

The government encourages the use of DTT broadcasting technology to enhance spectrum efficiency and enable the provision of quality TV services. Close to 85 per cent of households receive digital television. The two commercial broadcasters provide digital coverage of at least 99 per cent of the population, about the same as that of analogue television broadcasting. In view of DTT development in Hong Kong and technical considerations, the government decided in 2014 to revise the target for switching off analogue television broadcasting from end-2015 to end-2020, with a review of the target date in 2017-18.

Postal Services

Hongkong Post provides a broad range of reliable postal and related services at affordable prices. In 2016, it handled 1.2 billion postal items, of which 87.5 per cent was local mail.

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