Hong Kong – A public consultation on the fate of pubcaster Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) will be initiated by the special administrative region government later this year. To be a “detailed” process, the consultation is expected to stretch up to six months. Frederic Ma Si-hang, the territory’s Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development has however clarified that the restructuring exercise should not be considered the “equivalent of dismantling the station”. The public consultation follows recommendations in March 2007 by a review committee on public service broadcasting in Hong Kong, that a new and independent public broadcaster be created. The government-appointed committee had mapped out plans for a statutory independent public broadcaster, and suggested RTHK not be transformed into the proposed pubcaster. Established since the British rule, RTHK is funded directly by an annual government allocation and operates as a department of the government. It owns radio stations and produces television programs that are aired on TV stations in Hong Kong including TVB, ATV and Cable TV.