Milestone
| 1967 | 11 | - | First wireless commercial television in Hong Kong. | |||
| - | TVB commenced broadcasting on 19 November with live coverage of the Macau Grand Prix. | |||||
| - | Began broadcasting “Enjoy Yourself Tonight” which later became the world’s longest-running TV programme. | |||||
| 1968 | - | Produced and broadcast the station’s first drama series "Love Story". | ||||
| - | Began satellite coverage of the once in every four years Olympic Games. | |||||
| 1969 | - | Broadcast man's first landing on the moon via satellite. | ||||
| 1971 | - | "Enjoy Yourself Tonight" (EYT) became the first locally produced programme broadcast in colour. | ||||
| - | Organised the first talent training course. | |||||
| 1972 | - | All TVB programmes produced and transmitted in full colour. | ||||
| - | TVB's historic all-star fund-raising telethon raised the unprecedented sum of HK$7 million for victims of Hong Kong rain disaster (18 June). | |||||
| 1973 | - | Inaugurated the famous "Miss Hong Kong Pageant" which soon became the best-known and most popular event of its type in the region. | ||||
| 1976 | - | Hosted the Miss Universe Pageant and provided global satellite coverage to an estimated worldwide audience of 500 million. | ||||
| - | TVBI Company Limited (TVBI), TVB’s international operating arm, was established to develop programme-licensing, video rental business and to operate cable and satellite television channels in overseas markets. | |||||
| 1984 | 1 | - | HK- TVB Limited was publicly listed. Television Broadcasts Limited was one of its subsidiary companies. | |||
| 1988 | 11 | - | HK-TVB Limited restructured. Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) became an independently listed company and moved to TV City at Clearwater Bay. | |||
| 1991 | 7 | - | TVB helped develop and introduced the NICAM system to Hong Kong, providing digital stereo and multi-lingual programming. | |||
| - | The Station produced "Operation Relief '91" (華東賑災運動) and raised a record breaking HK$120 million to help flood victims in eastern China. | |||||
| 1992 | 11 | - | TVB celebrated its Silver Jubilee. | |||
| - | TVB organised the first-ever International Symposium on Prospects and Challenges in Chinese Language Television Broadcasting and was attended by over 200 delegates from around the world. | |||||
| 1994 | 9 | - | The Station produced the "Operation Relief ‘94" (華南水災籌款之夜) and raised HK$37 million for flood victims in southern China. | |||
| 10 | - | Approval was granted by the Broadcasting Authority to establish a regional satellite television broadcasting service designed primarily for audiences across Asia. This approval allowed TVB to form satellite television channels as well as market and distribute them across the region. | ||||
| 12 | - | TVB obtained the approval in principle from the Executive Council for a 12-year licence to establish and operate a satellite television uplinking and down linking system in Hong Kong. | ||||
| 1997 | 6 | - | TVB launched the TVB Website (http://www.tvb.com) on the Internet to provide worldwide viewers the latest information on the station's programmes and artistes. | |||
| - | TVB was selected as one of the "Top 20 Leading Companies in Hong Kong" (全 港 二 十 大 傑 出 商 業 機 構 選 舉) in an election organised by the Hong Kong Economic Times. | |||||
| - | TVB was chosen as one of the "Asia's 50 Most Competitive Companies" (亞 洲 最 具 競 爭 力 企 業). | |||||
| 12 | - | TVB was ranked as one of "The Review 200: Asia's Leading Companies" (全 亞 洲 二 百 卓 越 公 司 選 舉), an annual survey conducted by the Far Eastern Economic Review. TVB was, for the first time, listed among the 10 leading companies in Hong Kong. | ||||
| 1998 | 7 | - | On 21 July, TVB's subsidiary Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited obtained a 12-year Satellite Television Uplink and Downlink Licence from the Chief Executive-in-Council. | |||
| 12 | - | On 7 December, TVB launched the world's first and only 24-hour Mandarin language drama satellite channel - TVB Xing He Channel. | ||||
| 1999 | 1 | - | TVB was elected as one of the "1998 My Favourite Web-Sites" under the category "Music and Entertainment Site" organised by Sing Tao Daily. | |||
| 4 | - | A re-location plan to move the television production facilities from Clearwater Bay to Tseung Kwan O was approved. It was anticipated that the whole project would take about 5 years (i.e. up to year 2003) to complete. | ||||
| 10 | - | Approval was given by The Broadcasting Authority to TVB to set up a new TVB Internet Company, TVB.COM LIMITED. | ||||
| 2000 | 3 | - | The ground-breaking ceremony of the new TV City at Tseung Kwan O was held on 8 March 2000. | |||
| 4 | - | Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited obtained an External Fixed Telecommunication Network Services Licence and began providing uplink service for channels of TVB Group and telecommunication service for third parties. | ||||
| 12 | - | Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited obtained a Domestic Pay Television Programme Service Licence. | ||||
| 2001 | 4 | - | The Company was awarded the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) International Broadcasting Excellence Award 2001 (二00一年國際廣播卓越大獎). The award recognised the company for its outstanding contribution to the community through a wide range of charitable programmes and activities. Hong Kong thus became the first city in Asia to receive this prestigious award in this area. | |||
| 2003 | 10 | - | Complete relocation of TVB to the new $2.2 billion state-of-the-art TVB City at the Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate. | |||
| - | A TVB City Grand Opening Ceremony cum 36th Anniversary Light Switching Ceremony was held on 12 October at TVB City to commemorate the occasion. | |||||
| 2004 | 2 | - | exTV, operated by Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited (GSB), a joint venture of TVB and Intelsat, announced the official commencement of its digital multi-channel TV service in Hong Kong on 18 February 2004. | |||
| 12 | - | Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited (GSB) became a wholly-owned subsidiary of TVB. Its pay television platform, previously known as exTV, was renamed as SUPERSUN in May 2005. | ||||
| 2005 | 8 | - | TVB sold 51% of its shares in Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited (GSB) to Enjoy Profits Limited (49%), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ruili Holdings Limited and to Dr Chan Kwok Keung, Charles(2%). The change was approved by the Broadcasting Authority on12 August 2005. | |||
| 2007 | 8 | - | TVB sold 20% of its shares in TVB Pay Vision Holdings Limited to Gemstone Pacific Limited. The change was approved by the Broadcasting Authority in Oct 2007. | |||
| 12.31 | - | With the launch of Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in Hong Kong on 31 December, TVB provided the first-ever 24-hour high definition channel HD Jade. | ||||
| 2008 | 5 | - | 5 months after the launch of Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting (DTT) in Hong Kong, adoption rate reached about 10% of the households (approximately 218,000 families), a very outstanding figure as the DTT take-up rate in most of the advanced economies does not exceed 5% in the first year of launch. TVB played a significant role in this achievement. | |||
| 6 | - | Launch of J2 digital channel. | ||||
| 7 | - | Further to the launch of service of Temple Hill Digital Principal Transmitting Station in December 2007, 6 additional transmitting stations started operation (TVB was responsible in building the transmitting stations of Kowloon Peak, Golden Hill, Castle Peak and Mt Nicholson), providing digital TV coverage to 75% of households in Hong Kong. | ||||
| 8 | - | HD Jade was turned into an Olympics channel the first ever 24-hour High Definition (HD) Olympics channel in Hong Kong. | ||||
| - | The first ever longest continuous HD coverage of the Beijing 2008 Olympics 16 days from 8-24 August 2008. | |||||
| - | HD Jade broadcast all live coverage of the Beijing 2008 Olympics in full 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound. Such an extensive use of 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound set a milestone on free television broadcasting in Hong Kong. | |||||
| - | A TVB 27-member strong technical and operational team supported the TV production coverage of equestrian events in Hong Kong for worldwide broadcast -- the first time that a Hong Kong broadcasting company joined hands with the official broadcasting arm of the International Olympic Committee to provide production support. | |||||
| - | The Olympics was the largest sports event production project in scale with unprecedented investment (over HK$80 million) in resources, facilities and manpower in the Hong Kong sports broadcasting history including a studio of over 7,000 sq. ft. in the International Broadcast Centre in Beijing -- the biggest space within the Asia-Pacific Broadcast Union pool. | |||||
| - | 8 August ----- Launch of first-ever interactive data television service on free television in Hong Kong providing viewers timely and important information at the touch of a button. The first phase provided information on Weather, Hang Seng Index, News Headlines and Olympic Medal List. | |||||
| 2009 | 1.1 | - | Launch of the only 24 hour free-to-air news channel iNews Channel. Total number of digital channels then operated was five, i.e. Jade, Pearl, HD Jade, J2 and iNews channels. | |||
| 5 | - | Entered a Joint Venture agreement with Shaw Brothers to produce motion pictures. Total capital contribution expected not to exceed HK$20,000,000. | ||||
| 12.31 | - | Launch of 5 fill-in stations to increase Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) coverage from 75% to 85%. | ||||
| 2011 | 1 | - | Launch of 8 fill-in stations to increase Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) coverage to 89%. Penetration rate was 61%. | |||
| 1.26 | - | Change in Shareholding -- Shaw Brothers (Hong Kong) Limited which owned 26% of TVB’s outstanding shares and other major assets, had reached a definitive agreement with an investor group controlled by Dr. Charles Chan Kwok Keung under which the group would acquire Shaw Brother’s ownership in TVB. The other two members of the investor group were Madam Cher Wan and Providence Equity Partners LLC. | ||||
| 3.31 | - | Change in Shareholding was completed --- the transaction involving the sale of entire shareholding in Shaw Brothers (Hong Kong) Limited to an investor group comprising Dr Charles Chan Kwok Keung, Madam Cher Wang and Providence Equity Partners LLC had been duly completed. Following the completion, the investor group has acquired 26% issued share capital of TVB. TVB has obtained the approval from the Broadcasting Authority in relation to such change in shareholding of TVB. | ||||
| 12 | - | Launch of 9 fill-in stations to increase Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) coverage to 98%*. Penetration rate was 69%. | ||||
| 12.31 | - | Sir Run Run Shaw retired from the position of Chairman of the Board as well as Non-executive Director and member of the Executive Committee of the Board. He was honoured with the title of Chairman Emeritus of the Company following his retirement. | ||||
| 2012 | 1.1 | - | Dr Norman Leung Nai Pang, GBS, LLD, JP was appointed the Executive Chairman of the Board. | |||
| 6.30 | - | Enhancement of services of iNews channel including: upgrading the video format of iNews to HD (1920 x 1080i); introducing a brand new weather forecast system, METRA; providing multi-lingual services. | ||||
| 7 | - | After lengthy negotiations with i-CABLE as well as the International Olympic Committee, the Company reached an agreement with i-CABLE and ATV on 17 July to broadcast in total 200 hours of the "2012 London Olympic Games". Coverage of the sporting events were evenly distributed for live broadcast on TVB Pearl and ATV World channels between 27 July and 13 August (Hong Kong time), with highlights on TVB Jade, HD Jade and ATV Home channels. It was an unprecedented co-operation for TVB and ATV to co-produce mega sporting events together. The concerted efforts of both parties had successfully brought the spectacular programmes to the widest possible audience. | ||||
| 8.8 | - | The Group received the final approval to form a joint venture company named 上海翡翠東方傳播有限公司 ("TVBC") with the Shanghai Media Group ("SMG") and China Media Capital ("CMC") in the shareholding ratio of 55% owned by TVB and in aggregate of 45% owned by SMG and CMC. TVBC would help the Company to transform its business in the mainland China market from licensing and distribution to one with involvement in different dimensions of the media industry. | ||||
| 10.28 | - | Modified the video encoding formats of digital Jade and Pearl channels; Pearl changed to high definition broadcast (1920 x 1080i), while Jade to H.264 standard definition format, enhancing the viewing pleasure of the audience. | ||||
| 2013 | 1.21 | - | J2 digital channel was upgraded to high definition broadcast (1920 x 1080i). | |||
| 3.5 | - | "TVB Pay Vision Limited" was renamed as "TVB Network Vision Limited". | ||||
| 3.18 | - | Digital Jade channel was upgraded to high definition broadcast (1920 x 1080i). All five digital channels are broadcast in high definition. | ||||
| 5.22 | - | TVB was appointed by Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) as Hong Kong’s official broadcaster of the “2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil”. It was since 1998 that TVB has secured exclusive television rights of the World Cup. During 12 June and 13 July 2014, TVB will broadcast live 22 major FIFA World Cup matches via its 5 free digital channels as well as the analogue Jade and Pearl channels.
TVB has also acquired the exclusive pay television rights, radio rights, internet and mobile transmission rights. It was the first time that Hong Kong was granted the new media rights (i.e. internet and mobile) by FIFA. Pay-TV platform “TVB Network Vision” would provide live broadcast of all the 64 matches. |
||||
| 2014 | 7.4 | - | In addition to the High Definition livecast of the “2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil”, TVB arranged a 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) live demonstration of the quarter final match of the World Cup between France and Germany at KITEC Star Hall, pioneering 4K UHD live demonstration in Hong Kong television. | |||
| 2015 | 1.1 | - | Dr Norman Leung Nai Pang, GBS, LLD, JP, Executive Chairman of the Company retired from the Company. | |||
| - | Dr Charles Chan Kwok Keung was appointed the Chairman of the Board of Directors. | |||||
| 3.24 | - | Launching of the Shaw Brothers Pictures Limited. This launch marked a milestone for TVB in making film production one of its core businesses. | ||||
| 5.6 | - | TVB disposed of its 53% equity interest in Liann Yee Group (Taiwan operations). | ||||
| 5.12 | - | TVB’s domestic free television programme service licence was renewed for 12 years to 30 November 2027. | ||||
| 9.20 | - | TVB partnered with China Media Capital and Warner Brothers Entertainment to develop and produce a slate of Chinese-language films for distribution in China and internationally. The joint venture would be headquartered in Hong Kong. The Inaugural Press Conference was held on 16 March 2016. | ||||
| 2016 | 3.10 | - | TVB disposed of its remaining 47% equity interest in Liann Yee Production Company Limited and its subsidiaries in Taiwan. | |||
| 4.18 | - | Launching of OTT service, myTV SUPER which offers over 30 terrestrial and thematic channels, as well as other international brand channels, together with 11,000 hours VOD offerings. | ||||
| 9.15 | - | TVB Anywhere, an electronic shopping mall, is launched in Canada, UK, Australia and beyond. It provides voluminous thematic channels and video-on-demand programmes, offering overseas viewers more than the usual OTT or video streaming service. | ||||
| 2017 | 6.20 | - | TVB enters into strategic cooperation with online platforms Tencent and iQiyi on co-production of drama series. The first co-produced drama was aired on 20 June 2017. | |||
| 7.23 | - | Launching of big big channel, a mobile app providing a live platform for TVB artistes to interact with viewers around the world. | ||||
| 7.26 | - | TVB established a joint venture with Hollywood TV and film production company, Imagine Entertainment, to develop and produce TV serials for distribution in US and international markets. | ||||
| 8.15 | - | iNews and J5 were renamed as TVB News and TVB Finance Channels respectively, the only 24-hour free news and finance information channels in Hong Kong. | ||||
| 10.26 | - | Launch of OTT platform “大大平台” in Taiwan. | ||||
| 11.19 | - | The company celebrates its Golden Jubilee. 2017 marks the successful transformation of TVB from a traditional TV station to a cross-media platform amalgamating broadcast TV, OTT myTV SUPER and TVB Anywhere as well as social media Big Big Channel. | ||||
| 11.26 | - | Launch of the mobile app Big Big Channel in Malaysia. | ||||
| 12.11 | - | Launch of TVB Anywhere Premier Service in Macau. The service is a collaboration with Companhia de Telecomunicações de Macau S.A.R.L. (CTM) through bundling service, offering packages that include 12 streaming channels and over 10,000 hours of VOD programmes (TVB and acquired programmes included). | ||||
| 2018 | 2 | - | TVBC and Youku Tudou enter into licensing arrangements to release a selection of new TVB drama titles concurrently in Mainland China and Hong Kong. | |||
| 3 | - | Launch of the mobile app Big Big Channel in Singapore. | ||||
| 4 | - | Subscribers of OTT platform myTV SUPER reach 6 million. | ||||
| 7.3 | - | Rolling out of “News Report with Sign Language” on Pearl, a brand new Cantonese live news programme with sign language interpretation and traditional Chinese subtitles, providing hearing impaired persons with the latest news information. | ||||
| 7.22 | - | Launch of Big Big Shop, the one-stop e-commerce business which combines TV viewing and online shopping. | ||||
| 9.18 | - | Launch of TVB Anywhere SG in Singapore, a customised version of TVB Anywhere app for Singapore audiences. The app offers more than 10,000 hours of TVB contents in VOD format. | ||||
| 11.9 | - | SMG disposed of its shareholding in TVBC to TVB. The shareholders of TVBC include TVB, CMC and Rainmaker (an associate of CMC). | ||||
| 2019 | 3.19 | - | Big Big Shop and Circle K Convenience Stores (HK) Limited form an e-commerce partnership, enabling Big Big Shop customers to pick up online orders at any Circle K stores of their choice anytime. | |||
| 3.28 | - | TVB and HKBN Group expand strategic partnership to enterprise market. Business customers of both companies will enjoy advertising/digital marketing power of myTV SUPER or Big Big Channel as well as HKBN’s premier telecommunications solutions at preferential price. | ||||
| 4 | - | Launch of TVB Anywhere VN mobile app in Vietnam, a customised version of TVB Anywhere for Vietnamese speaking audiences. | ||||
| 4 | - | Launch of TVB Anywhere Thai version service in Thailand in cooperation with a local OTT operator MVTV. A 24-hour TVB Anywhere Drama Thai Channel was launched. | ||||
| 4.1 | - | Launch of myTV Gold on myTV SUPER, a premium channel bundle featuring an incredible lineup of world-class programming, including top sports events, 4K documentaries and Hollywood blockbuster movies. | ||||
| 5 | - | Launch of TVBAnywhere+, a global video streaming mobile app with six different language versions. It provides a large selection of TVB original content and acquired drama series to both Chinese and non-Chinese speaking audiences. The new app offers multiple screens and global access with a single subscription. | ||||
| 8 | - | Launch of Big Big Shop on Taobao, an online shopping platform based in China. It marks an extension of TVB’s e-commerce footprint to Greater Bay Area. | ||||
| 12 | - | Registered user devices of myTV SUPER is close to 9 million. | ||||
| 2020 | 4 | - | TVB Anywhere signed new content supply agreements with Huawei and China Mobile respectively. TVB Group will further accelerate the growth of its digital content distribution to a new international level. | |||
| 4.29 | - | Mr Thomas Hui To was appointed the Chairman of the Board of Directors. | ||||
| 4.30 | - | Launch of Big Big Shop on Lazada. It marks an extension of TVB’s e-commerce footprint to Malaysia and Singapore. | ||||
| 5.8 | - | The premiere of “Big Big Shopping Nite”, a brand new marketing TV programme to showcase selected goods on sale in Big Big Shop. | ||||
| 8.10 | - | myTV SUPER debuts first original variety programme “Second Home”. | ||||
| 8.18 | - | TVB forges strategic partnership with Youku to widen collaborations on distribution and production of dramas and variety shows, artiste management, e-commerce and streaming service. | ||||
| 9 | - | TVB Anywhere Android TV Box is launched, offering better user experience to overseas viewers. | ||||
| 11.19 | - | myTV SUPER and HKBN collaborates on HOME+, a newly launched platform with both e-commerce and in-store shopping. | ||||
| 12.14 | - | myTV SUPER premieres its first ever original drama “Beauty And The Boss”. |
