Radio renewals: Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Henry Tang announces licence renewals for Commercial Radio and Metro Broadcast.

The licences of Commercial Radio and Metro Broadcast have been renewed for another 12 years.

The renewal allows the stations to broadcast from August 26, 2004, to August 25, 2016, subject to a mid-term review in 2010.

Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Henry Tang said that to collect views, the Broadcasting Authority conducted an independent opinion survey, held a public hearing and consulted the two radio stations on the licence conditions.

Based on the licensees' compliance record and public views on their services, the authority is satisfied with their performance and recommended their licences be renewed to the Executive Council.

Mr Tang said 12 years is a long period so it is necessary to have a mid-term review.

"During the mid-term review, in addition to the authority's recommendations, we will also take into account the broadcasting policy and state of technological development at the time," he said.

This will include efficient use of the frequency spectrum, the demand for telecommunications and information services, the need to promote competition, and the further development of digital and multimedia technologies.

Commissioner for Television & Entertainment Licensing Lorna Wong said the new licences give the stations more flexibility.

Both licensees will maintain one channel with 80% of its broadcast in Cantonese and one channel with 80% of its broadcast in English, while there will be no language requirement for the third channel so that licensees can run a multilingual channels that meet the community's needs.

On programme scheduling, the licensees will be given more flexibility in the scheduling of positive programmes, such as news and weather, current affairs, arts and culture, and programmes for young people and senior citizens.

The Government has also taken the opportunity to standardise the licence conditions for the two licensees to maintain a level playing field in the broadcasting industry.

The renewed licences also require the licensees to fulfil their investment commitments. In the first six years of the renewed licences, Commercial Radio and Metro will respectively invest about $1.09 billion and $567 million in programme production and capital investment.