One of the last vestiges of Hong Kong' s colonial past is going silent. The territory' s public broadcaster will pull the plug on a 24-hour stream
One of the last vestiges of Hong Kong’s colonial past is going silent. The territory’s public broadcaster will pull the plug on a 24-hour stream of the BBC World Service, replacing it with state-controlled media from China.
A spokesperson for Radio Television Hong Kong, known as RTHK, says the decision to end the radio broadcasts, which have aired since 1978, was not influenced by politics. The BBC said in a statement that it is “always disappointed when a service our listeners are used to changes” adding that it is “doing everything we can to ensure we continue to reach our audiences.”
The move has prompted anger from some listeners in Hong Kong, who launched an online petition calling for the service to be restored. “Hong Kong touts itself as an international city. Yet the removal of the BBC World Service from the airwaves makes the city feel more parochial and inward‐looking, ” the petition reads.
