There are four active free-to-air television networks and one remaining licensed pay television network in Hong Kong. There is also a number of online subscription television services.
Currently, there are no new applicants for free-to-air or pay-tv licences.
In 2007, free-to-air television broadcasters in Hong Kong were allocated extra frequency bands and bandwidth to provide additional digital broadcasts over and above that needed to provide simultaneous digital and analogue broadcasting of the four original multi frequency free-to-air channels. Digital terrestrial broadcasts began on 31 December 2007. Analogue terrestrial television ended in 2020.
Free-to-air television In operation Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB; ) Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK; ) HK Television Entertainment (HKTVE; ) i-CABLE HOY Limited (HOY; 有線寬頻開電視有限公司)
Former licensees Asia Television (ATV; . Non-renewal announced in 2015. Ceased operation in 2016) Commercial Television (CTV; . Ceased operation in 1978)
Former licence applicants New Asia Network (NAN; ), parent company Forever Top (Asia) Limited abandoned the application, following its acquisition of Cable TV Hong Kong and its subsidiary, Fantastic Television, which is a free television provider. Phoenix Hong Kong Television (PHKTV, ), parent company Phoenix Television announced its decision to rescind the application on 18 August 2017. Hong Kong Television Network (HKTV; ) – 2nd time applicant. First application was rejected in 2013. Mobile television licence that restricts in-home viewing granted in 2017. Gave up the application in 2018.
Licensed pay television In operation Now TV Former licensees Cable TV Hong Kong TVB Network Vision
Free-to-air television channels Channels currently on-air
+ Channels telecasted by licensees Ch № Name in English Name in Chinese Description Primary Language Picture Format Transmission Launch Date Licensee31RTHK TV 31RTHK's main channel.Cantonese1080i HDTVTerrestrial and hybrid fibre-coaxial13 January 2014RTHKRTHK is the public broadcaster in Hong Kong which is not required to have a licence.32RTHK TV 32A live feed of Legislative Council meetings every Wednesday and other important press conferences or events.33RTHK TV 33Simulcast of the Hong Kong version of CCTV-1 HDPutonghua34RTHK TV 34Simulcast of content by CGTN DocumentaryEnglish1 July 202235RTHK TV 35Simulcast of content by CGTN1 July 202376HOY 76HOY 76HOY TV's business news channelEnglish1080i HDTVHybrid fibre-coaxial, cable and terrestrial30 July 2018I-CABLE HOY77HOY 77HOY 77HOY TV's general entertainment channel.Cantonese14 May 201778HOY 78HOY 78A 24-hour news, financial and infotainment channel.21 Nov 202281TVB JadeTVB's main general entertainment channel.Cantonese1080i HDTVTerrestrial19 November 1967TVB82TVB PlusTVB Plus has no Chinese name. It is referred to as "TVB Plus", in both English and Chinese parlance.A youth-oriented entertainment, financial news and sports channel.28 January 2008TVB News ChannelA 24-hour news channel.15 August 201784TVB PearlA general entertainment channel broadcasting mainly in English.English19 November 196785Phoenix Hong Kong Channelaccessdate=2017年7月13日To serve Chinese viewers in Hong KongCantonese and Putonghua Took over the frequency formerly occupied by HD Jade and TVB Finance, Sports & Information Channel28 March 201196ViuTVsix has no Chinese name.A general entertainment channel broadcasting mainly in English.English1080i HDTVIPTV and terrestrial31 March 2017HKTVE99ViuTVViuTV has no Chinese name. It is referred to as "ViuTV" in both English and Chinese parlance.HKTVE's general entertainment channel.Cantonese2 April 2016 6 April 2016
Defunct channels Channel № (Digital)Channel № (Analogue)Name (English)Name (Chinese)Channel contentPrimary languageBegan operation (Digital)Began operation (Analogue)Ceased operationMeans of TransmissionLicenceNoteThis channel ceased broadcasting before the advent of digital television.29Commercial TelevisionA general entertainment channel with prime time educational programming. It was the territory's 3rd free-to-air terrestrial television station.Cantonese7 September 197522 August 1978Terrestrial, free-to-airCommercial TelevisionThis channel was not broadcast on terrestrial televisionRediffusion Television (1957–1963)Rediffusion Television English Channel (1963–1973)(1957–1963) (1963–1973)RTV's main channel.Later became Rediffusion's English channel.Primary: EnglishSecondary: Cantonese29 May 19571973Subscription-based CableRediffusion TelevisionConverted to a free-to-air television station.Rediffusion Television Chinese ChannelRTV's main Chinese channelCantonese30 September 196331 October 1973Became free-to-air channel RTV-11123RTV-1 (1973–1982)ATV Chinese (1982–1987)ATV Gold (1987–1989)ATV Home (1989–2016)ATV A1 (2017-2022) (1973–1982) (1982–1988) (1987-1989) (1989-2016) (2017-2022)RTV, and later ATV's main Chinese channel.31 December 20071 December 19732 April 2016Terrestrial, free-to-airRTV (later ATV)Station changed identity multiple times since 1973.1627RTV-2 (1973–1982)ATV English (1982–1987)ATV Diamond (1987–1989)ATV World (1989–2016) (1973–1982) (1982–1987) (1987–1989) (1989–2016)RTV, and later ATV's main English channel.English12This channel has never launched an analogue television service.ATV News & BusinessNews channel.Cantonese1 April 2009ATV13ATV HisMale-oriented channel.14ATV HerFemale-oriented channel.15ATV PlusDocumentary channel.15CCTV-4Simulcast of content by CCTV-4.Mandarin Chinese1 April 20091 March 201114CTi InternationalSimulcast of content by Chung T'ien Television.1 April 201119ATV HDTVHigh definition general entertainment channel.Cantonese31 December 20071 April 200919ATV Asia1 April 20092 May 201115CCTV-1Simulcast of content by China Central Television.Mandarin Chinese1 March 20112 April 201613ATV ClassicReplay of past ATV classics.Cantonese31 December 201213TVS-2Simulcast of content by Southern Media Corporation.Mandarin Chinese1 October 20091 October 201285TVB HD JadeHigh definition general entertainment channel.Cantonese31 December 200722 February 2016, 2:59 amTVBCease simulcast transmission with TVB Jade & replace by J5.85TVB J5J5 has no Chinese name. It is referred to as "J5", with the "5" pronounced "five", in both English and Chinese parlance.A high definition channel focusing on financial news and documentaries.22 February 201615 August 2017, 6:00 amStopped showing variety shows and drama since 8 May 2017 and replace by TVB Finance Channel.
Additional channels Operative services Hong Kong uses the same Digital Terrestrial Multimedia Broadcast (DMB-T/H) standard as Macau and Guangdong and, because of signal overspill, viewers in Hong Kong can receive and watch all free to air channels from these areas without much difficulty.
However, because of licensing and intellectual property reasons, except for the four local free-to-air networks and CCTV-1, a subsidiary of China Central Television (CCTV), viewers outside of certain confines government offices and statutory bodies; consulates-general and officially recognised bodies; guest houses and hotels ranked with four stars or above that receive foreign guests; apartment buildings exclusively for office and residential use by persons from abroad; clubs exclusively serving persons from abroad; residential use by the family which included the person(s) directly employed by or retired from the following stipulated confines, such as: departments and related organisations of the government of the HKSAR, office and branches of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong, consulates-general and officially recognised bodies, MTR Corporation. are not legally allowed to watch these channels.
Residential subscribers to cable premium and subscription services are free to use these services within certain confines, usually within their own homes, and under the terms and conditions of their service provider. Other contracts deal with the provision of services to non-domestic properties, e.g. premium sport content to bars.
References and notes