Hong Kong's New Year's Eve Countdown Celebrations to Be One of World's Largest, Most Spectacular Pyrotechnic Displays

Hong Kong's New Year's Eve Countdown Celebrations to Be One of World's Largest, Most Spectacular Pyrotechnic Displays

To Turn Global Spotlight onto Hong Kong on New Year's Eve, Hong Kong Tourism Board Provides Satellite Feed for Broadcasters Worldwide

NEW YORK, Dec. 28, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Set to upstage even the glittering razzle-dazzle display of New York's Times Square - while welcoming in the New Year half a day earlier - the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) will mount its most extravagant, most dazzling display ever with the launch of the Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations on December 31 moments before midnight. To ensure global audiences can share in the excitement of spectators in Hong Kong, the HKTB will provide satellite feed of the entire event for use by television broadcasters worldwide.

This year, the HKTB will add new visual effects to its already dazzling pyrotechnics, including numeric patterns for the countdown. The combination of colourful patterns and movements atop Hong Kong's iconic skyscrapers will symbolise a soaring dragon, set to light up the spectacular, world-famous Victoria Harbour.

In the last 10 seconds preceding 2011, pyrotechnics carrying the patterns of numbers 10 to 1 will be launched one by one atop the 2 IFC and nine other buildings on Hong Kong Island to lead spectators in a citywide countdown. As the clock strikes midnight, a four-minute choreographed musical pyrotechnical show will commence. During the show, pyrotechnics will be ignited on both sides and atop 2 IFC and the other nine selected buildings. In addition to other special effects, the display will bring to life a colourful dragon soaring in the sky above Victoria Harbour to stand for the continued progress of Hong Kong's economy in 2011.

To ring in 2011, 44 skyscrapers and landmarks on the waterfront will mark the arrival of the New Year with a profusion of lights, fireworks, lasers and blinking patterns synchronized to music. The show is a natural - if also ambitious - extension of the Symphony of Lights that illuminates the Hong Kong sky nightly at 8 PM.

The following are details of the event rundown and satellite feed:

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

Date Time Activity
-- Officiating Ceremony
31 Dec 2010 11:59pm begins
----------- ------- -------------------------
-- Gigantic numerical
pyrotechnic countdown display
on the rooftop of 2 IFC and
nine other designated
buildings on Hong Kong Island
------------------------------
-- Ceremony performed by
the Chief Executive of Hong
Kong SAR and other
1 Jan 2011 12 midnight officiating guests
---------- ----------- ---------------------------
-- "2011" appears on the
facade of 2 IFC, followed by
a four-minute pyrotechnical
show
----------------------------

2. Satellite Live Feed Details:

1) Countdown Highlight (31/12/2010 HK Time 2345 - 2410)

Via IS-9 24C Slot B (Covering America, South Americas)

-- Programme name: 2011 Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations
-- On-air date & time: 31/12/2010 (HK time: 2350 - 2405) - Free to air
signal
-- Download link: 4155.5 MHz H
-- Symbol rate: 6.1113MS/s
-- FEC:3/4
-- System: NTSC
-- Encryption System: Free to air signal

2) TVB^ onstage programme signal carrying TVB logo (31/12/2010 HK Time 2335 - 2415)

^The official TV co-op partner of Hong Kong's New Year Countdown Celebrations

Via Asiasat

-- Satellite path: Asiasat 3S C-BAND / Channel: TVB8
-- Programme name: Hong Kong's New Year Countdown Celebrations
-- Download link: 3729MHz
-- Channel: 1
-- Polarization: Horizontal
-- Symbol rate: 13.650MS/S
-- Fec: 3/4
-- Video format: PAL

Via IS8 C-BAND

-- Satellite path: IS8 C-BAND (Intelsat) for TVBI overseas
-- Programme name: Hong Kong's New Year Countdown Celebrations
-- Download link: 3851MHz
-- L-Band: 1101
-- Channel: 3 - UK & Europe (PAL);
-- Channel: 4 - USA, New Zealand, and Asia markets (NTSC)
-- Polarization: Vertical
-- Symbol rate: 9.95MS/S
-- Fec: 3/4
-- Video format: Ch.3 (PAL) & Ch. 4 (NTSC)

Media may visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JSkkzLUYs0 for animated footage of the pyrotechnic display.

SOURCE Hong Kong Tourism Board

Hong Kong Tourism Board

CONTACT: Quinn Doan, +1-323-938-7265, Quinn.Doan@hktb.com, or Diana Budiman, +1-212-421-3382 ext. 231, Diana.Budiman@hktb.com, Hong Kong Tourism Board; Megan Vibert, MeganV@spring-obrien.com, or David Kleinman, DavidK@spring-obrien.com, both of Spring, O'Brien & Company, +1-212-620-7100

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