Trading Fund Report 2021/22
The COVID-19 pandemic brought significant disruption to the licensees’ television programme production. In response to the appeal by the Government to minimise the spread of COVID-19 in the community, a portion of the workforce of the licensees was arranged to work from home. The shortage of manpower was intensified due to the rising number of infected cases and/or the need for people to undergo quarantine as close contacts of the infected. At the same time, a substantial number of shootings could not be materialised due to the unavailability of shooting venues and artistes as well as the prohibition on group gathering.
In view of the pandemic situation and the operational difficulties faced by the free TV licensees, the CA decided in March 2022 to approve the application by a licensee for waiving the requirements relating to children’s programmes, documentary programmes, current affairs programmes and arts and culture programmes being “wholly of Hong Kong origin”8 for a period of three to five months. Upon the application by another licensee, the CA decided to approve the application for waiving the first-run requirement relating to positive programmes9 and the frequency of repeated programmes for fulfilling the programme requirements on a temporary basis. On parity grounds, in approving the application made by each of the licensees, the CA extended the wavier to other free TV licensees.
In the light of the fifth wave of COVID-19, the Government constructed nine Community Isolation Facilities (CIFs) in early 2022 to accommodate those persons or patients required to be isolated for epidemic control. The CIFs are located in Penny Bay (Phase 5 and Phase 6), Lok Ma Chau Loop, Kai Tak, Fanling, Hong Kong Zhuhai Macau Bridge Island, Tsing Yi, Hung Shui Kiu, San Tin and Tam Mei. Since the CIFs are generally situated in rural or new development areas with no or unsatisfactory fixed and mobile coverage, OFCA assisted the MNOs to establish 5G RBSs in the CIFs as a matter of priority in order to enable the provision of mobile services for the staff and persons staying there.
In connection with the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong, the CEDB and its departments have proactively participated in some of the anti-epidemic work.
Since March 2022, OFCA, in collaboration with CreateHK and RTHK, has been tasked to form operation teams in conducting “Restriction-Testing Declaration” (RTD) operations in “restricted areas” where persons within the areas are required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing in accordance with the arrangement by the Government.
OFCA mobilised a total of about 120 staff members from various grades (including Telecommunications Engineers, Regulatory Affairs Managers, Entertainment Standards Control Officers, Inspectors (Telecommunications)/Controllers (Telecommunications), Official Languages Officers, Foremen, General Grades, Clerical and Secretarial Grades, Non-Civil Service Contract Staff, etc.) to participate in RTD operations. With concerted efforts, three RTD operations were conducted smoothly from March to April 2022. OFCA will continue to participate in anti-epidemic work by fully mobilising its manpower in combatting the epidemic.
