The Chief Executive in Council has renewed the free-to-air television licences of HK Television Entertainment Company Limited, TVB Limited and i-CABLE HOY Limited for 12 years. The new licences start on different dates: HK Television Entertainment’s runs from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2039; TVB’s from 1 December 2027 to 30 November 2039; and i-CABLE HOY’s from 31 May 2028 to 30 May 2040.
Alongside the renewals, the Communications Authority approved changes to what the broadcasters can air. On Cantonese general channels, the daily limit for Mandarin programmes rises from 10 per cent of total broadcast time—2.4 hours—to 20 per cent, or 4.8 hours. On English general channels, the weekly prime-time limit for programmes in non-designated languages increases from 2.5 hours to 12.5 hours.
National education programmes will move out of the current-affairs category into a new designated category, with the required airtime doubling from 30 minutes to one hour a week. At the same time, the total weekly airtime required across five designated categories—news, current affairs, children’s, youth and other programmes—will fall by 25 per cent. Children’s and youth programmes may be combined, with their required airtime also reduced. A separate one-hour weekly requirement for English-produced programmes will be added under the other-programmes category.
Local-production airtime requirements will rise by 10 per cent. Across the three licensees, the new requirements range from 66 to 279 hours a week; programmes from Hong Kong’s radio and television service may count towards them. Simultaneous broadcasts will be capped at 20 per cent of total daily airtime.
The Government accepted investment commitments totalling HK$9.478 billion over six-year periods. HK Television Entertainment pledged HK$2.298 billion for 2027–33, TVB HK$6.23 billion for 2028–33, and i-CABLE HOY HK$950 million for 2028–34.