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LCQ14: Reception of CCTV programmes
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    Following is a question by the Hon Tsang Yok-sing and a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr Joseph W P Wong, in the Legislative Council today (June 13):

Question:

     It has been reported that some groups have asked the Government to strive, on behalf of Hong Kong people, for the channels of the China Central Television (CCTV) on the Mainland to be relayed by ground stations in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the number of CCTV channels that can be received in Hong Kong at present; and

(b) why more CCTV channels cannot be relayed by ground stations in Hong Kong; whether the Government has plans to discuss with the relevant Mainland authorities how to follow up the matter; if it has, of the details of such plans; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

Madam President,

     My reply to the question is as follows:

(a) Hong Kong viewers can now receive China Central Television (CCTV) programmes through the following three means:

(i) all programmes of free CCTV channels transmitted from the Mainland to Hong Kong via satellite, including CCTV-1 (Comprehensive Channel), CCTV-2 (Economy), CCTV-4 (International, in Chinese), CCTV-7 (Agriculture and Military), CCTV-9 (International, in English), CCTV-10 (Science and Technology), CCTV-11 (Chinese Opera) and CCTV-12 (Society and Law);

(ii) all programmes of CCTV channels provided by domestic pay television operators, including CCTV-4, CCTV-9, CCTV-11 and CCTV-News by Hong Kong Cable Television Limited, and CCTV-4 and CCTV-9 by NOW TV and TVB Pay Vision Limited; and

(iii) some programmes of individual CCTV channels provided by domestic free television operators, i.e., Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) and Asia Television Limited (ATV), at different time slots every day (details at Annex).

(b) Under the "open sky" policy adopted by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the public may receive free satellite television channels from all over the world (including the Mainland) covering Hong Kong. Thus, there are no restrictions for CCTV to cover Hong Kong via satellite transmission, and indeed some CCTV channels have already been broadcast to Hong Kong as mentioned above. The public can receive these free satellite television channels through satellite television reception systems, such as Satellite Master Antenna Television Systems in multi-storey buildings or Television Receive Only Systems for the exclusive use by a single household (i.e., dish antennae). Currently, some 744 000 domestic households in Hong Kong can receive free satellite television via Satellite Master Antenna Television Systems in multi-storey buildings, many of which can receive CCTV channels.

     Regarding the transmission of free-to-air terrestrial television, due to a lack of spare frequency spectrum, Hong Kong cannot accommodate any additional analogue terrestrial television channel for the time being. The two free television stations will launch digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcasting this year. Our target is to switch off analogue television broadcasting in five years after the commencement of DTT broadcasting, but we have not decided on the use of the frequency spectrum to be freed up after the analogue switch-off.

Annex:

CCTV Programmes Provided by Local Free Television Stations:

Free Television Station: (1) TVB Pearl            

CCTV Programmes               Schedule

Some programmes of CCTV-9     Monday - Friday:
(Live)                        8am - 10am
Some programmes of CCTV-4     Daily: 5.30am - 6am

Free Television Station: (2) ATV World

CCTV Programmes               Schedule

Some programmes of CCTV-9     Monday-Friday:
(Live)                        8am - 10.30am
                              Saturday: 9am - 11am
                              Sunday: 7am - 9am
Some programmes of CCTV-1     Monday-Saturday:
                              7am - 7.30am
                              Sunday: 6.30am - 7am
                              Monday-Friday & Sunday:
                              6.05pm - 6.25pm
                              Monday-Friday:
                              20 minutes between
                              midnight and 1am
Some programmes of CCTV-4     Monday-Friday:
                              noon - 12.15pm
Some programmes of CCTV-9     Monday, Tuesday,
                              Wednesday & Friday:
                              6.25pm - 6.55pm
                              Daily: 55 minutes
                              between 1am and 4am

Ends/Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Issued at HKT 13:21

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