Metro Broadcast to cease Stanley Fill-in Station operations by December 31, 2025, due to tenancy expiration

Approval to Metro Broadcast Corporation Limited for its change of transmission plan

The Communications Authority (CA), pursuant to Conditions 2.1 and 2.2 of the Schedule to the sound broadcasting licence of Metro Broadcast Corporation Limited (Metro), has approved Metro's application to cease using the fill-in station at Stanley (Stanley Fill-in Station) for transmission of its FM (Note 1) sound broadcasting service with effect from December 31, 2025.

As stipulated under the sound broadcasting licence of Metro, Metro is currently providing two FM sound broadcasting channels, viz. Metro Info and Metro Finance, through seven main transmitting stations(Note 2), supplemented by the Stanley Fill-in Station to improve the FM reception at Red Hill Peninsula. Metro informed that the Stanley Fill-in Station will cease operation with effect from December 31, 2025, due to the expiry of the tenancy agreement for the premises. Metro submitted that the areas currently served by the Stanley Fill-in Station as an additional source of radio signals can be covered by the radio signals from the two main transmitting stations at Mount Gough and Lamma Island, after the Stanley Fill-in Station ceases to operate.

In approving Metro's application, the CA notes that the Stanley Fill-in Station is not the only source for Metro to provide its FM sound broadcasting channels to the relevant areas. Based on the reception measurements submitted by Metro and assessed by the CA, satisfactory audio quality is available for public reception of Metro Channels through the two principal Mount Gough and Lamma Island Transmitting Stations. In fact, these two transmitting stations have been deployed by all other sound broadcasters for transmitting their FM sound broadcasting channels(Note 3) for public reception in the areas concerned without fill-in station facilities. For the reasons above, the CA considers that the impact of the changes to Metro's transmission plan to the general public should be minimal and is satisfied that Metro will be able to comply with the coverage requirement stipulated under its sound broadcasting licence.

Members of the public may call Metro's hotline at 3698 8000 or contact the Office of the Communications Authority at 2961 6333 for enquiries about the reception of the two FM sound broadcasting channels of Metro.

Note 1: In Hong Kong, radio broadcasters use frequency modulation (FM) and amplitude modulation (AM) to provide their sound broadcasting services.

Note 2:The seven transmitting stations are located at Mount Gough, Cloudy Hill, Castle Peak, Golden Hill, Lamma Island, Beacon Hill and Kowloon Peak.

Note 3: They are CR 1 and CR 2 of Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Company Limited, and Radio Television Hong Kong's Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 4 and the channel relaying Radio the Greater Bay of the China Media Group.

The Metro Broadcast Corporation Limited (Metro), Photo source: FB of Metro

Appointments to Council of Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts

The Chief Executive has appointed Mr Symon Wong Yu-wing as Chairman, Mr Yam Tat-wing as Deputy Chairman and Ms Kelly Chan Yuen-sau as Treasurer of the Council of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) for a period of two years from January 1, 2026.

The Chief Executive has also appointed the following persons as members of the Council of the HKAPA for a period of two years from January 1, 2026:

Dr Raymond Chan (reappointed)

Mr Jason Joseph Lee Kwong-yee (reappointed)

Miss Christine Leung Wan-chong

Ms Yolanda Ng Yuen-ting

Dr Irene Tang Mo-lin (reappointed)

Dr Tang Yuen-ha (reappointed)

Ms Wong Caroline Ho (reappointed)

Mr Ray Woo Wai-shing

Ms Stella Lau Yin-ling (reappointed, staff representative)

Professor Yiu Song-lam (reappointed, staff representative)

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism or his/her representative (reappointed)

Secretary for Education or his/her representative (reappointed)

Other serving members of the Council include:

Mr Clifton Ko Chi-sum

Director of the HKAPA (ex-officio)

Commenting on the appointments, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, said, "Mr Wong is the existing Deputy Chairman of the Council and is familiar with the operations of the HKAPA. Mr Wong has a proven public service track record and I look forward to working closely with him. I also welcome Ms Chan, Ms Leung, Ms Ng and Mr Woo to join the Council. I hope that under the leadership of the Council, the Academy will advance further."

Miss Law expressed heartfelt appreciation to the outgoing Chairman of the Council of the HKAPA, Mr Charles Yang Chuen-liang, for his invaluable contribution to the HKAPA during his service on the Council in the past nine years. "Mr Yang provided visionary steering to the Council in nurturing performing arts talents for the arts and culture sector, fostering external engagements with the Greater Bay Area and the globe, as well as spearheading the development of a new campus at the Northern Metropolis. His dedicated service in the Council over the past years has tremendously enhanced the HKAPA's governance and consolidated its global top 20 position in the performing arts category," said Miss Law.

Miss Law also expressed sincere appreciation to the outgoing Treasurer, Mrs Helen Chan, and members, Mrs Christine Ip Yeung See-ming, Ms Sheryl Lee Ming-chi and Mr Andrew Leung Chun-keung, for their valuable advice tendered during their terms of service.

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), Photo source: the official website of HKAPA