This press release summarises the decisions of the Communications Authority ("CA") following its 87th meeting held in June 2019:
Application for Renewal of the Non-Domestic Television Programme Service ("Non-domestic TV") Licence by Times International Media Group Limited ("TIMG")
The CA decided not to renew the non-domestic TV licence of TIMG under section 11(6) of the Broadcasting Ordinance ("BO") (Cap. 562) after its expiry on 28 September 2019.
TIMG was granted a non-domestic TV licence by the former Broadcasting Authority in 2007 with a validity of 12 years. TIMG operates one 24-hour channel (HKMG TV Chinese Channel) in Putonghua for its non-domestic TV service, providing cultural, arts, general entertainment and TV drama programmes targeting the Asia Pacific region.
In considering TIMG's application for licence renewal, the CA took into account, inter alia, the financial and managerial capability of TIMG, the overall performance of TIMG during the current licence period, including serious breaches of relevant licence condition due to prolonged delay in the launch of service and suspension of service on two occasions, and its ability to comply with the relevant regulatory requirements. After considering all the documents and information submitted by TIMG as well as the representations of TIMG in response to the CA's provisional decision, the CA concluded that TIMG had failed to demonstrate that it has the financial and managerial capability to continue to provide the proposed service. TIMG also failed to give sufficient assurances to the CA's satisfaction about its capability to fully comply with all the regulatory requirements if its licence is renewed. Following the CA's decision not to renew TIMG's licence, TIMG shall cease to be a non-domestic TV licensee from 29 September 2019.
Communications Authority
Secretariat
27 June 2019