The Mainland, as the hinterland of Hong Kong, is a potential market for both local and overseas broadcasters. The broadcasting industry in the Mainland is a huge market with advertising sales estimated at US$3.3 billion and about 360 million households in 2003¹⁶. Hong Kong, due to its proximity to the Mainland, is a springboard to this vast market. The Government has been working actively with the Mainland to facilitate Hong Kong television operators entering into the Mainland market through the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA).

Some broadcasters have secured the landing rights in the Guangdong province of the Mainland. Phoenix Chinese Channel, Phoenix Movies Channel, and China Entertainment Television (CETV) were among the first to be granted the landing rights in 2001, followed by Xing Kong Wei Shi channel in 2002. The two domestic free television programme service licensees, ATV and TVB, also secured the landing rights in Guangdong province of the Mainland in 2002 and 2004 respectively.

Many channels of the non-domestic licensees were allowed to be broadcast to 3 star or above hotels and foreign compounds in the Mainland.

¹⁶Source : Report on China's TV industry by China eCapital.