Free-to-air television in Hong Kong has for the better part of a decade been a two-horse race: incumbent TVB, holding 60-70% of primetime drama share and 79% market share (2025), and ViuTV as the smaller but persistent challenger that built its identity on youth appeal and idols along with big-brand sports rights that it shares with sister pay-TV platform Now TV; ViuTV is part of listed telco HKT/PCCW.

This year, the Hong Kong-listed i-Cable Communications’ revived its HOY channels, potentially bringing a third player onto the field. Three years after the group pulled the plug on its pay-TV business to focus on free-to-air, i-Cable is proposing a name change to CTF Media & Entertainment Limited / 周大福传媒娱乐有限公司, and is operating three restructured channels with distinct remits in addition to sports. Underpinning all three is a multiplatform strategy – heavy digital activation running alongside the linear broadcast led by digital veteran Ivy Wong as CEO and executive director of i-Cable Communications. 

HOY’s priorities – younger creators, KOL-driven variety shows, international content – read as a direct challenge to ViuTV’s playbook rather than an attempt to challenge TVB’s hold on mainstream Chinese drama audiences. The big question is whether HOY can translate its advantages, including synergies with parent company the Chow Tai Fook (CTF) Group, into audience share.

TVB, meanwhile, has changed its name  from Television Broadcasts Ltd to TVB Ltd / 無綫集團有限公司 after more than 60 years. The change, the company says, reflects its diversified media and entertainment business in Hong Kong and Macau, Chinese Mainland and overseas, including terrestrial TV and digital streaming platforms in Hong Kong and internationally, content creation and production, artist management and IP distribution. “We have grown and evolved well beyond our roots as a pure TV broadcaster,” company bosses said in March 2026.

TVB remains a powerful player in Chinese serialised entertainment, including production partnerships with  Mainland platforms Youku and Tencent Video. Flagship titles include “The Queen of News 2” (新聞女王2), produced with Youku. The five other co-productions include “Themis” (正義女神), “Mrs. Revenge” (夫妻的博弈), and “I Only Live Twice” (模仿人生) with Youku.  

TVB has also embraced AI production, releasing its first AI-generated microdrama, “You and Only You” (在我心中 — 你是獨一無二) on the TVB Plus and myTV SUPER digital platforms as well as on Tencent Video in September 2025. Vertical initiatives continue, including a slate of adaptations of original TVB IP with Bytedance-owned Chinese short-drama platform, Hongguo.

Hong Kong’s government-funded broadcaster, Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), launched its new news and current affairs schedule – including English-language content – on the TV32 channel in July this year. The network continues to promise objective and comprehensive news, “while serving as a platform to assist the government in explaining its policies and presenting the true picture of Hong Kong to the world”.

In numbers

Hong Kong
Population .....................................    7.53 million
Households ...................................    2.76 million
Avg. household size .................. 2.6 persons
TV households    ............................ 2.62 million
Total TV audience ......................    6.43 million
Pay TV subscribers .....................    1.46 million
Digital terrestrial TV penetration rate... 94.2%
Total TV prog. service licences ................    34
- Domestic free TV prog. licences .............. 3
- Domestic pay TV prog. licences .............. 1
- Non-domestic TV prog. licences ............. 9
- Other licensable TV prog licences ....... 21
Internet service providers .......................    369
Broadband subscriptions ...............    3 million
Household b/b penetration .............100.3%
Mobile subscriptions ..................    34.4 million
Mobile penetration ..............................    441.4%
5G subscriptions ..........................    10.4 million
4G subscriptions ..........................    23.9 million

Source: Census and Statistics Department (population in mid-2025, households in 2024, household size in 2025), Office of the Communications Authority (TV in Nov/Dec 2025 & June 2026, internet in Feb/June 2026, mobile in Mar 2026) 

Macau
Population ...........................................    712,000
Internet users ......................................    610,300
Internet penetration .................................    94%
Internet subscriptions .....................    216,577
Mobile subscriptions ..................    1.48 million
5G subscribers (Prepaid/Postpaid)
............................................................    1.08 million
Fixed telephone lines .........................    78,589

Source: Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), Macau SAR. (population in 2024, internet in 2024-25, mobile in 2025)

Published in ContentAsia's The Big List 2026: Hong Kong & Macau directory