Digital Broadcasting Corporation

Digital Broadcasting Corporation Hong Kong Limited
Company typePropriety Limited Company
IndustryMedia, digital audio broadcasting
PredecessorWave Media Limited
Founded (2008-01-07) 7 January 2008 (age 16)
FounderAlbert Cheng
DefunctSeptember 7, 2016 (2016-09-07)
HeadquartersUnits 301, 302, 304, 306,
Level 3 Core A-B,
Cyberport 3, Hong Kong
Area served
Hong Kong (DAB+), International (Online)
Products7 channels
OwnersBill Wong Cho-bau (99.6%)
Websitedbc.hk

Digital Broadcasting Corporation Hong Kong Limited (DBC) (Chinese: 香港數碼廣播有限公司), formerly known as Wave Media Limited (Chinese: 雄濤廣播有限公司), is a licensed independent digital audio broadcasting (DAB+) operator with most number of channels in Hong Kong. DBC was granted licence by the Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority in March 2011. There are currently four operators providing digital audio broadcasting services with a total of 18 channels. Being the largest digital broadcaster in the territory, DBC operates 7 channels. Major shareholder of DBC is Bill Wong. Board of directors are Arthur Li, Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong and Loh Chan.[1]

In summer 2012, DBC underwent a period of corporate dispute, leading the station to closure.[2] Albert Cheng said shareholder Bill Wong had refused to invest more funds after receiving instructions from an unnamed official at the Central Government's Liaison Office in Hong Kong.[3][4] The radio station announced its closure on 10 October 2012.[5] On 19 October 2012, activists and radio hosts began a three-day sit-in protest in front of the government headquarters in Admiralty.[4]

On 20 December 2013, DBC held its grand re-launch.[6] Calling an end to the previous corporate dispute was the restructuring of board of directors. Albert Cheng is no longer a shareholder of nor a host in DBC.

DBC decided to close and return its operating licence to the government with effect from 7 September 2016 affecting 113 staff, because the digital audio broadcasting was not popular, and it did not receive enough advertisement to support the revenue.[7]

  1. ^ DBC啟播 黃楚標攜妻女現身[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ Webb-site: Digital Broadcasting Corporation Hong Kong Limited
  3. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: How China ruins Hong Kong Freedom of Speech - Ban on DBC [in Chinese/English subtitle]. YouTube.
  4. ^ a b DBC hosts protest 'politically motivated' closure of radio station
  5. ^ "通訊辦接獲香港數碼停止運作書面通知".
  6. ^ 汪明荃支持DBC戲曲台 Archived 6 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ DBC station to close, marking the second closure of a digital radio station in a year