The SAR Government has granted a 15-year long license to a Macau based "China Satellite TV (Group) Company Limited" to operate six satellite TV broadcasting channels and telecommunication services, it was announced earlier this week.

The decision was published on December 26th in the first series of the No. 52nd SAR Gazette.

According to the Gazette, the "China Satellite TV (Group) Company Limited" which hold a capital stock of 10 million patacas, is allowed to run free and paid satellite broadcasting and telecommunication services. Once the license is issued, the company should start its services not later than 12 months based on its proposal submitted the Government.

The license holder should pay three per cent of its gross income as the annual tax and a taxation of 100 thousand patacas for each TV programme.

The license holder is under the supervision of the Office for the Development of Telecommunications and Information Technologies and the Government Information Bureau.

An annual operational and financial report should be submitted to the Office for the Development of Telecommunications and Information Technologies within 120 days after the end of each operational year, and information and explanations about the TV programmes is required to be sent to the aforesaid Office and Bureau when being requested.

The Chief Executive and the license holder can jointly re-examine the terms of the license ten years after the license came into effect. The license may not be transfer to a third party in any form unless getting permission from the Chief Executive.

The "China Satellite TV (Group) Company Limited" will focus its markets on Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Mainland, Asia-Pacific countries, the Middle East and part of the Europe.