Hong Kong's free-to-air broadcasters must run 'national' programs weekly
Hong Kong has regulated its TV laws yet again and the regulators have ordered the free-to-air TV and radio broadcasters to run 30 minutes of national education and security law programs every week. The implementation of the National Security Law following the pro-democracy protests has led some prominent media outlets to shut operations as they suffered severe financial loss.
Communications Authority's statement on the new regulation
Deadline quoted the Communications Authority which stated, "On top of the existing required broadcast hours of current affairs programs under the category 'current affairs,' licensees shall also broadcast no less than 30 minutes of programs on national education, national identity, and National Security Law per week." The National Security Law criminalizes "subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts."
Media outlets shut after imposition of draconian National Security Law
Recently, Cable TV, one of the two main pay-TV broadcasters in Hong Kong gave up its pay-TV license six years earlier due to financial difficulties. Richard Li-owned NowTV is the lone pay-TV broadcaster in Hong Kong at present. The billionaire also owns Television Broadcasts and ViuTV. Earlier, Apple Daily, Stand News, and FactWire shut down after the National Security Law was imposed.
