Radio Television Hong Kong is the only publicly-funded broadcaster in the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong. As such, it recognizes that its primary obligation is to serve the community of Hong Kong, and pledges to reflect the views of all sections of the population.

RTHK is the broadcaster in the territory with the longest history of operation. It started in 1928 and developed over the years into broadcasting service offering a full range of radio and television programmes to the people of Hong Kong. The move towards editorial autonomy in the seventies saw the creation of the Public Affairs Television Unit in 1970 and the setting-up of an RHK Newsroom in 1973. Expectations for an independent status heightened when the idea was mooted for corporatising RTHK in the mid-eighties. The corporatisation proposals were eventually put on hold in the early nineties. By that time, the role of RTHK as an editorially independent public broadcaster had become well established.

Today editorial independence for RTHK is a pronounced government policy which is also enshrined in a "framework agreement" between the Commerce, Industry & Technology Bureau and RTHK. RTHK operates with a well-tried and tested editorial process. It has also put in place effective systems which enable the station to deal confidently and equitably with all types of external and internal pressures. The editorial practices and systems have been developed and articulated taking into account the power of the medium and the unique role of the public broadcaster.

The RTHK Performance Pledge states that the station's “primary obligation is to serve all audiences – including special interest groups – by providing diversified radio and television services that are distinctive and of high quality, in news and current affairs, arts, culture and education”. No doubt the role of the public broadcaster is to offer quality and distinctiveness on top of its traditionally recognized aim to inform, educate and entertain.