Remembering Rediffusion: Hong Kong

Rediffusion ( Hong Kong ) Limited
Rediffusion House 81 Broadcast Dr
Kowloon Tong
Hong Kong Tel: 4424544
History
Radio Rediffusion was established in Hong Kong in 1949 featuring the wired distribution of the highly successful Rediffusion radio channels comprising one English language and one Chinese. A further Chinese Channel was added in 1956.
On 29 May 1957, a subscription Television Service was introduced using the same HF wired distribution technique as in the UK. The service was predominantly English but a Chinese service was introduced in 1963. By 1967 RTV had over 60,000 subscribers. The receiving equipment was generally the Televisions and Loudspeakers manufactured by Rediffusion at it’s UK factories. There was no competition until Hong Kong Television Broadcasting Co. Ltd. (HKTVB) was granted a license to transmit an “off air” television programme in November 1967.
On 6 April 1973 Radio Rediffusion was offered a free-to-air television broadcasting license which eventually saw the end of the cable broadcast service in the colony. The company was renamed Rediffusion Television Limited or RTV. In March 1981, Rediffusion in the sold 61% of his shares to an Australian consortium. This ended the reign of British owned RTV in Hong Kong.
In July 1982, a Chinese Enterprise called Yuen-dung Company bought part of the shares. On September 24 Lai-dik Broadcast Limited was renamed as Asia Television Limited after acquiring the balance of Rediffusion shares.
Later, in 1984, the Australian consortium sold their holdings in the company to Hong Kong businessman Chiu Tak Kan, Deacon. Asia Television is now owned by companies of Chinese capital
Compiled with help from: M H Lai
Pictures of the RTV service staff from the early 1960’s together with Pages from the HK Rediffuse.
(Images 1- 6 courtesy K T Chan.)
Rediffuse Newsletter 1969
RTV camera crews at work (1977)
More Pictures from RTV
Original article published as part of the Remembering Rediffusion Limited 1928-1988 website created by Gerald Clode.
The website is tribute to Rediffusion and the many thousands of staff worldwide who worked for the organisation. It includes historical information and images of all aspects of the Group’s businesses.
Associated Companies in over 175 towns in Great Britain and in Barbados, Bermuda. Canada, Ceylon, Guyana, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Malaya, Malta, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and West Africa etc.
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