Private | |
Industry |
Radio broadcasting webcasting |
Founded | 1959 |
Headquarters | Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong |
Key people
|
Stephen Chan Chi-wan (chief executive) |
Website | http://www.881903.com |
Commercial Radio Hong Kong (CRHK, Chinese: 香港商業電台 Putonghua; pinyin: Xiānggǎng Shāngyè Diàntái; Jyutping: heung1 gong2 seung1 yip6 din6 toi4), aka Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Company Limited is one of only two commercial radio broadcasting companies in Hong Kong along with Metro Radio Hong Kong. It contains a balanced array of entertainment including informative, educational, arts and cultural programmes. CRHK provides updates on current affairs as well as news and weather reports.
CRHK was founded by George Ho Ho-Chi on 26 August 1959, when he inherited HK$50,000 from his father Sir Robert Ho Tung. The 10-year franchise of Radio Rediffusion ended its radio operation in 1959. CRHK joined Radio Rediffusion and Radio Television Hong Kong to make what was called the "Three kingdoms of local radio stations". It was one of the most flourishing times in Hong Kong radio broadcasting history, since more competition yielded better productions. However, Radio Rediffusion closed down at the end of September 1973.
At the very beginning, Commercial Radio was situated in Lai Chi Kok, near what is today's Mei Foo Sun Chuen. It only obtained the present site at 3, Broadcast Drive in Kowloon Tong on 25 July 1966, nine years after it had started broadcasting in Hong Kong. While the new five-floor building was under refurbishment, the station was temporarily housed in Yau Yat Chuen, until the brand new complex came into use on 26 August 1971.
Although CRHK has its own news broadcasts nowadays and provides the latest news on major events around the world, the news division of CRHK was only formed in 1974. At first, news broadcasts were provided by the Information Services Department of the Hong Kong government and later from RTHK. The establishment of its own news division marked a new era in the company's history, since it finally became an independent organisation.