Top Hong Kong free-to-air broadcaster Television Broadcasts (TVB) said yesterday regulations governing the territory's broadcasters should be extended to Internet operators offering pay TV services.

Its call follows the arrival of new competitors in Hong Kong's pay TV market, now dominated by i-Cable Communications.

Hong Kong's fixed-line carriers PCCW and City Telecom are tapping the market with services that piggyback on their broadband Internet capabilities to offer programmes on TV or computer screens.

TVB will soon enter the pay TV market with its satellite joint venture Galaxy.

"If you offer a pay TV service, then you should be regulated by the Broadcasting Authority," Norman Leung, TVB's newly appointed executive deputy chairman, said at a press briefing. The regulations cover matters such as pricing and bundling of channels.

"I believe the government should study whether we need to redefine the definition of broadcasting," said Leung.

Reuters

(HK Edition 09/03/2003 page7)