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Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Communications Authority today announced the launch of a public consultation on applications for the renewal of domestic free television programme service (free TV) licences.

The free TV licences of HK Television Entertainment Company (HKTVE), i-CABLE HOY and Television Broadcasts (TVB), each with a validity of 12 years, are due to expire between 2027 and 2028.

The three licensees have submitted licence renewal applications to the authority.

In accordance with requirements under the Broadcasting Ordinance and established procedures, the authority will carry out a detailed assessment of the licensees’ past performance and renewal proposals, and collect public views through various means. This will include carrying out a two-month public consultation, an opinion survey, a televised online public hearing and focus group discussions.

The authority will take into account the licensees’ respective performances, views from the industry and public, market developments, and more. It will make recommendations on the three licence renewal applications to the Chief Executive in Council before the end of March 2026.

Members of the public may submit their views in writing by email, by fax to 2507 2219, or by mail to Office of the Communications Authority (Attn: Broadcasting Section 33), 20/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

They may also register to participate in the televised online public hearing, due to be held on September 20.

The public consultation will end on September 30.

The free TV licence of HKTVE is valid until March 31, 2027, while the licence of TVB runs until November 30, 2027, and that of i-CABLE HOY until May 30, 2028.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The basic-tier drug list under the Chronic Disease Co-care Pilot Scheme has been expanded from 59 items to 114 items starting from today.

The Health Bureau said the 55 additional drug items cover antidepressants and drugs for the management of chronic hepatitis B, osteoporosis and thyroid disorder. More items have also been included to address health problems associated with episodic illnesses, such as drugs for relieving asthma exacerbation, gout, nausea and vertigo.

Scheme participants prescribed with drugs on the list need not pay for such medications.

The expanded list will provide family doctors with greater flexibility to cater for patients’ clinical needs, the bureau added.

To date, more than 140,000 people have enrolled in the pilot scheme. As of July 23, about 85,000 participants had completed screenings, with around 34,000 being diagnosed with prediabetes, diabetes mellitus, hypertension or hyperlipidaemia, and proceeding to treatment.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The 2025 provisional registers of electors for geographical constituencies (GCs) and functional constituencies (FCs) were released today, along with omissions lists for each type of constituency.

The Registration & Electoral Office (REO) appealed to members of the public to check their registration status through “iAM Smart” or the voter registration website by August 25.

The 2025 provisional register for GCs contains about 4,144,600 registered electors. The REO has received about 36,400 new applications for registration and about 115,400 applications from registered GC electors wishing to update their particulars.

Meanwhile, the records of about 101,100 electors have been deleted due to death or other reasons.

The 2025 provisional register for FCs contains about 193,700 registered electors. This factors in newly registered electors and electors entered on the omissions list due to death or other reasons.

Notices regarding inspection of the provisional registers of electors and the omissions lists were published in the Government Gazette today.

Under the law, copies of the provisional registers and omissions lists containing entries relating to individuals may only be shown in accordance with statutory requirements, and to specified persons only.

However, copies of the provisional registers and omissions lists containing entries relating to corporate electors may be inspected by any member of the public. Click here for details and arrangements regarding access.

The final registers will be published on September 25.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Communications Authority:

     The Communications Authority (CA) announced today (August 1) the commencement of a two-month public consultation on the applications for the renewal of domestic free television programme service (free TV) licences.

     The free TV licences of HK Television Entertainment Company Limited (HKTVE), i-CABLE HOY Limited (i-CABLE HOY) and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) are due to expire between 2027 and 2028. The three licensees have submitted their licence renewal applications to the CA. In accordance with the requirements under the Broadcasting Ordinance (Cap. 562) (BO) and established procedures, the CA will carry out a detailed assessment of the licensees’ past performance and renewal proposals, and collect public views through various means, including carrying out a two-month public consultation, an opinion survey, a televised online public hearing (TOPH) and focus group discussions. The CA will take into account performances of the licensees, views of the industry and public, the latest market developments etc, and make recommendations on the licence renewal applications to the Chief Executive in Council before the end of March 2026.

     Members of the public may give their views through various means, including submitting views in writing by September 30, 2025 (by email: consultation-tv-2025@ofca.gov.hk, fax: 2507 2219 or mail to: Office of the Communications Authority (Attn: Broadcasting Section 33), 20/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong); and/or by participating in the TOPH which will be held on September 20, 2025. For the TOPH registration arrangements and the details of the licensees’ services (including compliance records and investment plans), please visit the dedicated webpage on the CA’s website.

     The free TV licences of HKTVE, i-CABLE HOY and TVB are valid for 12 years from April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2027, May 31, 2016, to May 30, 2028, and December 1, 2015, to November 30, 2027, respectively. As required by the BO, the three licensees have submitted their licence renewal applications to the CA no less than 24 months before the expiry of the validity period of their licences. Having regard to the proximity of expiry of the three licences, the CA will carry out a consolidated review exercise for the renewal applications in accordance with the BO and established practice. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Government of the Republic of Korea