Digital Radio in Hong Kong faces a weak market

All digital radio transmissions in Hong Kong will be terminated within six months after the Executive Council deemed it unrealistic to rely solely on public broadcaster RTHK to operate the service.

Following Exco’s review of the city’s digital audio broadcasting (DAB), the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said that all of RTHK’s digital channels would cease “as soon as practicable”.

Digital audio services were introduced in Hong Kong in 2010, with licences granted to three commercial operators in addition to RTHK 2011. However, RTHK is now the only local operator providing digital services after Phoenix U Radio, Digital Broadcasting Corporation and Metro Broadcast Corporation all had their licences terminated.