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Paris Olympics: Hongkongers can watch coming Games for free after authorities buy broadcasting rights
- Paris Olympics and Paralympics will be shown on three free-to-air TV stations, as well as public broadcaster RTHK, city leader John Lee says
- Chief executive insists price of rights ‘reasonable’ and lower than what government paid to air Tokyo Games in 2021
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Hongkongers can watch the coming Paris Olympics for free from the comfort of their homes, the city’s leader has said, adding that authorities have bought the broadcasting rights at a cheaper price than they paid to air the Tokyo Games.
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Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Tuesday that free-to-air TV stations TVB, ViuTV and Hoy TV, as well as public broadcaster RTHK, would air the Paris Olympics and Paralympics when they started in July.
He insisted the purchase was made out of “special consideration” and the government was not seeking to influence competition among businesses.
“We considered that the current market [conditions are] not able to support TV stations to make large investments in acquiring broadcasting rights,” he said ahead of his weekly Executive Council meeting.
“We also considered the social values brought by the previous airing of the Tokyo Olympics – the joy and unity it brought to all residents, as well as the pride [we share] for the athletes’ excellent results.”
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Lee described the broadcasting rights fee as “reasonable” and lower than what the government paid for the Tokyo Games in 2021 or what local TV stations forked out for past Olympic events.
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