Retrospective

This is my final report as Chairman of the Broadcasting Authority, having served a maximum of three consecutive two-year terms. Looking back over the past six years, I am pleased to note that the broadcasting sector in Hong Kong has thrived and flourished. It is fair to say that our pro-competition, liberal and light-handed regulatory environment has nourished the broadcasting industry. Hong Kong now has some 600 satellite and pay television channels available in digital format and is the world's leader in deploying the Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) technology to a million subscribers, the highest IPTV penetration in the world. The number of free-to-air television channels has increased almost threefold as compared with a year ago when digitalization commenced at the end of 2007. The broadcast industry now engages an estimated workforce of 8 400 persons and account for about 0.4% of Hong Kong's gross domestic product. Creative technological developments and innovative business models have taken the industry to a new level of sophistication, helping to steer and diversify viewers' tastes and interests.

Turning to the quality of our regulation, I am delighted to report that Hong Kong ranked first equal with New Zealand in an international study carried out in 2007 on the effective regulation of the pay television industry in the Asia Pacific conducted by the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA). This was the second time Hong Kong has come out top in the region in the recent past. The Authority received high praise for its efficiency and transparency, with the majority of our regulatory practices being found consistent with US and UK benchmarks. May I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all members of the Authority, the Complaints Committee and the Codes of Practice Committee for their dedication and commitment, as well as to the staff of Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (TELA) ably led by the Commissioner for Television and Entertainment Licensing (CTEL) for their professional advice, diligence and dedication.

Last but not least, I welcome the appointment of my successor Mr Ambrose Ho as the new Chairman and wish him every success in leading the Authority to face the new challenges ahead, none more important than in the area of our impending convergence with OFTA to form the new Communications Authority.

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