The Government announced today (November 8) that the Chief Executive (CE) in Council has approved the termination of the sound broadcasting licence of Metro Broadcast Corporation Limited (Metro) for provision of its digital audio broadcasting (DAB) services with effect from November 12, 2016.

     In accordance with the CE in Council's decision, Metro's DAB licence has been amended to end on November 11, 2016.

     The CE in Council also approved the revision of the licence fee to be paid by Metro for the licence year 2016/2017 for its DAB services. The fee will be charged on the basis of recovery of costs and expenses incurred by the Office of the Communications Authority in administering the licence for the period from the commencement of the licence year (i.e. September 19, 2016) to the revised end date of the licence (i.e. November 11, 2016), which amounts to $517,145.

     A spokesman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said, "Metro wrote to the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development on September 12, 2016 to seek the approval of the CE in Council for the surrender of its DAB licence.

     "Apart from the licence fee to be paid, the Communications Authority considered that there are no outstanding obligations and liabilities accrued under the licence. The CE in Council therefore approved the termination of the DAB licence of Metro."

     The spokesman said that the review on the future of DAB services in Hong Kong is underway.

     The CE in Council granted on March 22, 2011 a sound broadcasting licence to Metro to provide DAB services, originally for a period of 12 years.

     Upon cessation of Metro's DAB services late at night on November 11, re-configuration and maintenance works of the DAB multiplex network has to be carried out from 2am to 6am on November 12 and the DAB services will be affected during that period. Radio Television Hong Kong will make suitable announcements nearer the time. It is expected that DAB services will return to normal before 6am on November 12.

Ends/Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Issued at HKT 17:00

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