ExclusiveHong Kong to relax ad rules for broadcasters to boost business edge, minister says
Commerce chief Algernon Yau says TV rules will be eased so local broadcasters can better compete against online streaming platforms
Hong Kong authorities plan to relax restrictions on indirect advertising for broadcasters amid fierce competition from online and streaming media, the commerce minister has told the South China Morning Post.
In a wide-ranging exclusive interview, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah said many broadcast operators had requested to review the Generic Codes of Practice for Television to improve the business environment, and the government had responded.
“They’re saying that the competition from other media is very strong, and it’s very difficult for them to survive, and then we have to be up market and then match the practice internationally,” Yau said on Thursday.
In the annual policy address released last month, the government pledged to review the code to ensure that regulations keep pace with the times and that diversified, quality programmes were broadcast, expanding the reach of the ‘Hong Kong Brand’ in the Asia-Pacific region.
