RTHK Archives RTHK Memory

Overview

RTHK Archives and RTHK Memory refer to the online programme archive and associated digital heritage resources maintained by Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), Hong Kong's public broadcaster. RTHK's archive portal provides public access to radio and television programmes broadcast within the past 12 months, as well as selected historical audio and documentary materials.

History and Background

Radio Television Hong Kong traces its origins to June 1928, when the Hong Kong Government took over the non-governmental Hong Kong Radio Society and established GOW, the first broadcasting station in Hong Kong. The organization underwent several name changes over subsequent decades, eventually becoming RTHK. In December 1994, RTHK launched its website and made programmes available online, establishing an early model for digital programme archiving. RTHK is a government department under the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and serves as Hong Kong's sole public service broadcaster.

Collections and Holdings

The RTHK archive portal at rthk.hk/archive provides on-demand access to radio and television programmes broadcast in the preceding 12 months, subject to copyright restrictions. The RTHK Creative Archive offers a selection of content available for download. A dedicated accessible version of the radio archive is available at programme.rthk.hk. Historically, RTHK produced documentary and current affairs content of significant journalistic value, including the long-running Hong Kong Connection series, which premiered on 5 March 1978 and continued for decades as one of Hong Kong's foremost investigative documentary programmes. RTHK also maintains audio archives going back much further, with physical inquiries directed to its Audio Archives department.

Access and Usage

The programme archive is freely accessible online. Copyright-restricted content may not be available for all periods. Podcasts and Creative Archive content may be downloaded. For programmes older than 12 months, users may contact RTHK's Audio Archives directly. Phone access to older audio archives: +852 2339 6445.

Significance

As Hong Kong's oldest and only public broadcaster, RTHK's archive constitutes a significant record of the city's broadcasting, journalism, and public affairs history dating from 1928 to the present.