Hong Kong Tourism Board Shares Largest "Pyrotechnic Musical" Display in Event History via Live Satellite Feed for Broadcasting Worldwide

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31^st: Hong Kong New Year's Eve Countdown Celebrations

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the seventh year in a row, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) will usher in the New Year with unprecedented grandeur on the night of December 31, 2013, as part of the city's annual Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations. Slated to be the largest in the event's history, this year's festivities will feature a tremendous first-ever "pyrotechnic musical" display interweaving pyrotechnics, fireworks, special lighting effects, and music. Hundreds of thousands of onlookers will marvel as a dazzling spectacle of light and sound erupts from Hong Kong's magnificent Victoria Harbour and stretches across its renowned skyline in celebration of the Western New Year.

The unrivaled show will last for eight minutes and commence on the city's world-famous harbour in six separate layers, moving landward. With the iconic Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre as the focal point, the pyrotechnics will extend towards the waterfront and across the night sky, connecting the two sides of the harbour with a glittering rainbow-like bridge at the stroke of midnight. Jubilant visitors will flood the megalopolis in search of the perfect vantage point to count the clock down and witness the first moments of 2014 as it explodes over land, air and sea - truly solidifying Hong Kong's well-deserved place among the greatest countdown celebrations in the world.

To ensure global audiences can share the excitement in Hong Kong, HKTB will provide satellite feed of the entire event for use by television broadcasters worldwide.

1. Satellite Live Feed Details:

Via IS-21 24C CH-A (Covering The Americas, North America & South America)

• Program name: New Year. New World - Hong Kong Countdown Celebrations
• On-air date & time: 12/31/2013 (Local time: 10:55am - 11:10am EST / 9:55am - 10:10am CST / 7:55am - 8:10am PST) - Free to air signal
• Download link: 4146.5MHz
• Symbol rate: 6.1113 MS/s
• FEC:
• Polarization: Horizontal
• System: SD NTSC
• DVB-S QPSK
• Format: Mpeg 2 16: 9 4:2:0 A1 : A2 Stereo PGM
• Encryption System: Free to air signal

2. Event Rundown for the Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations:

• Starting at 11:00 p.m., a pyrotechnic display will be launched in 15 minute intervals from the rooftops of seven participating buildings on Hong Kong Island (Central Plaza, CITIC Tower, Harbour Centre, Harcourt House, Hopewell Centre, Immigration Tower, and Revenue Tower), illuminating the sky with "shooting stars."
  • The multi-colored stars will symbolize good wishes in four areas:
    • Silver for Career
    • Green for Health
    • Gold for Fortune
    • Red for Love

Date / Time	Activity
31 Dec 2013 11:00pm	New Year blessings will appear on the giant LED screen set up next to the HKCEC.
11:15pm	Music and dance performances will begin on the HKCC Viewing Deck and will be projected onto the façade of the HKCC.
11:45pm	The event will be broadcast live on Television Broadcasts Limited's (TVB) Jade Channel.
11:59pm	The numerical countdown of the last 10 seconds of 2013 will commence on the giant LED screen set up next to the HKCEC.
1 Jan 2014 Midnight	The eight-minute pyrotechnic musical officially commences, with the pyrotechnics and fireworks launched from the harbour and surrounding buildings at the same time. The numerals "2014" will appear on the giant LED screen next to the HKCEC to the accompaniment of theme music produced by Mr. Chiu Tsang Hei.
12:08am	The pyrotechnic musical will end.
12:30am	The live broadcast of the event by TVB will end.

SOURCE Hong Kong Tourism Board