BBC Technology, provider of products and services to media-driven organisations, announced on 1 March that it will be providing consulting services to Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), Hong Kong’s public service broadcaster. Under the terms of the agreement, BBC Technology will deliver a strategic analysis to help RTHK define, solve and progress complex issues and enable the future provision of engineering services and technical operations. BBC Technology will provide RTHK with a roadmap for the transition in late 2006 to a new format for the delivery of technical and operational support when current agreements run out.
The contract, which was awarded following a comprehensive competitive tender process, will see BBC Technology deliver the strategic analysis and roadmap by Q1 2004. It furthers BBC Technology’s relationship with RTHK, following a previous assignment to develop the broadcaster’s technical strategy for the digital age. BBC Technology’s consulting services will enable RTHK to extract as much value as possible from its broadcast infrastructure and services, and to re-engineer key broadcast processes for maximum efficiency and alignment to the new media landscape.
RTHK is government funded and the sole public broadcaster in Hong Kong. It broadcasts on seven radio channels in English, Cantonese and Putonghua and produces approximately 560 hours of original public affairs television programs for prime time viewing on terrestrial TV, with an additional 42 hours of educational television. Its web page attracts 16 million hits per day with over 50% orginating overseas.