RTHK Review Team To Start Work

The Commerce & Economic Development Bureau announced today that the dedicated team tasked with reviewing the governance and management of Radio Television Hong Kong will start work on July 15.

The review's objective is to ensure that RTHK's public broadcasting services fully abide by the RTHK Charter.

Jessie Ting Yip, a directorate administrative officer, has been appointed as the dedicated team’s director. Other members include RTHK’s Assistant Director of Broadcasting Albert Cheung as well as serving civil servants or post-retirement service contract staff from the executive officer, treasury accountant and management services officer grades.

The bureau explained that they have knowledge and experience in broadcasting services, administration, resources management as well as organisation management consulting.

The dedicated team will review RTHK's administration, including financial control, human resources management and procurement matters to ensure its manpower and resource deployment complies with all applicable government rules and regulations.

Such review also aims to ensure the manpower and resource deployment is made for the effective delivery of services under programme areas set out in paragraphs 17 to 20 of the Charter and identify scope for improvement where necessary.

The team will review RTHK's progress of implementing the recommendations of Report No. 71 of the Director of Audit, including the need for a transparent and objective system for setting performance targets and benchmarks for measuring results.

It will also review RTHK's overall management systems, processes and practices, making reference to best practices of other public service broadcasters to ensure full compliance with the Charter and codes of practice on programming standards issued by the Communications Authority.

The bureau said the dedicated team will communicate with RTHK personnel during the review to understand the department's operational needs, adding that the team will not take part in any RTHK programme production or editorial decisions.

The review is expected to be completed in about six months and the dedicated team will submit a report to the bureau.