Hong Kong 2006 - Communications, the Media and Information Technology

The Government's broadcasting policy objectives are to widen programme choice and diversity through competition, to facilitate the introduction of new, innovative broadcasting services and to enhance Hong Kong's position as a regional broadcasting hub.

Hong Kong's regulatory regime is technology-neutral. The provision of television services and carriage networks are regulated separately so that a television programme service provider may hire any transmission network operators to transmit its service instead of investing in transmission infrastructure itself. This arrangement facilitates market entry and encourages competition.

Under the Broadcasting Ordinance, the four categories of television programme services — domestic free, domestic pay, non-domestic (mainly satellite television services targeting the Asia-Pacific region) and other licensable television programme services (mainly television services for hotel rooms) — are regulated according to their characteristics and pervasiveness rather than their transmission mode.

As a result of the liberalised, light-handed and pro-competition regulatory approach, Hong Kong has a vibrant broadcasting industry and its people enjoy a multitude of television and radio channels with diversified programming — four terrestrial free TV channels, some 240 pay TV channels, over 200 free satellite TV channels and 13 radio channels.

The Broadcasting Authority (BA) is the independent statutory regulator of the broadcasting sector, comprising nine non-official members from various sectors of the community and three public officers. It is the licensing authority of non-domestic and other licensable television licences, and is responsible for making recommendations to the Chief Executive in Council on applications for new sound broadcasting, domestic free television and domestic pay television licences, as well as on applications for renewal of these licences.

The BA's main function is to safeguard proper standards of television and sound broadcasting with regard to both programme and advertising content, as well as technical performance. It publishes codes of practice on programme, advertising and technical performance with which licensees are required to comply. The BA is also responsible for upholding a fair and competitive television market in Hong Kong through enforcing the competition provisions under the Broadcasting Ordinance.

In light of media and technological convergence, the BA constantly examines and updates its regulatory approach and codes of practice to ensure that public expectations are met and at the same time that the operators have sufficient flexibility to operate effectively and efficiently. It engages the public through its television and radio consultative scheme and focus groups discussion to collect audience feedback.

Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), a government department, is an editorially independent public broadcaster which provides quality radio and television programmes for Hong Kong citizens.

RTHK currently operates seven radio channels and produces over 970 hours of radio programmes each week broadcast in Cantonese, English and Putonghua. RTHK plays an important role in the dissemination of important public information. In 2006, its radio division made considerable efforts to arouse public awareness of environmental protection, healthy living and a harmonious community.

RTHK also produced about 560 hours of TV programmes in 2006, excluding school educational TV programmes, which were broadcast on both free-to-air and pay television platforms. These programmes constantly scored the highest average rating in the Appreciation Index Survey, a public opinion survey jointly sponsored by RTHK and commercial television operators. In 2006, RTHK's programmes were awarded 35 commendations at international and local television festivals. RTHK also produced school educational television programmes and pre-primary school programmes in support of the Government's education policies.

RTHK has embraced the digital era and started broadcasting online since 1994. The daily average hit rate of RTHK on Internet is 26 million. RTHK continues to harness the multi-media potential on different emerging media platforms in the converging era, such as licensing web content to mobile operators and providing a podcasting service.

The boundaries between broadcasting, telecommunications and information technology are blurring. As a result of the development of digital technology, communications companies can provide broadcasting, telephony and internet access services over the same telecommunications network. The Government has been reviewing the regulatory regime to ensure that it remains conducive to new technological and business developments. In 2006, the Government consulted the public on the proposal to merge the BA and the Telecommunications Authority into a unified regulator responsible for overseeing the whole electronic communications sector. Such an institutional arrangement, in line with the international trend, will enable the unified regulator to have a broad vision and jurisdiction to cope with challenges in the converging environment. The public supported the proposed merger, and the Government plans to introduce the draft legislation in 2007 to pave the way for the merger's implementation.

The Government encourages the deployment of digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcasting technology in Hong Kong to enhance spectrum efficiency and enable the provision of new services such as high-definition television (HDTV) broadcasting. According to the policy framework for implementing DTT broadcasting promulgated by the Government, the two incumbent terrestrial broadcasters, Asia Television Limited and Television Broadcasts Limited, are required to launch DTT, including broadcasting HDTV programmes, by 2007, and achieve 75 per cent of digital coverage by 2008. The implementation of DTT is progressing well and the Government aims to switch off analogue terrestrial television broadcasting by 2012, subject to further market and technical studies.