Hong Kong’s TVB axes RTHK programmes after watchdog’s rule change but smaller rivals likely to continue airing shows

Two television stations are likely to continue running programmes produced by public broadcaster RTHK, the Post has learned, although Hong Kong’s communications watchdog has dropped a decades-old requirement that free channels do so.

Dominant free-to-air broadcaster TVB stopped showing RTHK’s programmes on Thursday, after the rule was dropped the previous day. But according to industry sources, its smaller rivals, ViuTV and Cable TV, will still run the public broadcaster’s shows.

As part of their licence agreements, TVB had been required to broadcast 3½ hours of RTHK shows a week on its Chinese-language channels, and ViuTV to run 2½ hours.

The authority noted that RTHK also had its own free TV channels.