Social Issues

E.06-07

Tuesday
Text : Lon Yan (Source: S-file)

10 December 2013

Photos : Sing Tao Daily

Storm over

To no avail

Key ideas

Rumours

Hong Kongs once robust free television industry has

been going downhill over the past two decades, as

free TV

Youre
better!

Executive
Council

We want a
TV licence

programme quality has dropped due to the lack of real

competition resulting from the dominance of one of the
two stations. Opening the TV market fully could provide

Confidentiality

New
licence

I do not
oppose

Tens of thousands of people rallied outside Government Headquarters

to protest the governments decision to grant new free television
licences to only two of the three applicants. The action was also seen
as an expression of the publics discontent about the quality of local
free TV. What has gone wrong with Hong Kongs television industry?

None
of my
business

A basket
of
factors

fresh impetus for development, but the government

seems reluctant to go all the way.

Did you know?

I support it

Unlike the existing free-to-air television stations TVB and

ATV, Fantastic TV and HKTVE will not be broadcasting
over the airwaves, but through their respective fixed
networks that are connected directly to residential

ROM The Bund () in the 1980s to The Greed of Man (

) in the 1990s, to the more recent When Heaven Burns ()
and War and Beauty (), generations of people in Hong
Kong have been enthralled by popular television drama series produced
by local television stations.
The Chinese University of Hong Kongs (CUHK) Department of
Journalism and Communication lecturer Vivian Tam () notes
that Hong Kongs television
productions were the regional
leader in the 1970s and 80s.
During that period, every
Chinese community in Asia
was watching Hong Kong
programmes; the city was
exporting a strong television
culture as its economy took off.
Nowadays, viewers
complain about shoddy
productions, and we have long
lost our prime position in the
industry, having been overtaken
by Japan, South Korea and
Taiwan, whose television
dramas are holding sway.

Ta m b e l i e v e s t h a t t h e
government has failed to
foster healthy competition in the
local television industry to ensure
sustainable development.

Cradle of creative industry

AT its peak, Hong Kongs television industry
stry
dustry,
was the cradle of the local creative industry,
nurturing a generation of talent.
ductions weree
That was a time when television productions
niques that stilll
willing to pioneer dramatic styles and techniques
have an innovative feel even when viewed today.

Television policy shortsighted

The stations nurtured actors like Chow Yun-fat () and Andy

Lau (), and directors and scriptwriters such as Johnnie To (),
Tsui Hark () and Ann Hui (), who went on to become stars in
their field.
The television sector during that period was the training ground for
Hong Kongs entire creative industry.

Unhealthy operating environment

HOWEVER, it is an indisputable fact that Hong Kongs television culture
has lost its lustre along the way, or at least is not as influential as it used to be.
Tam observes that things started to go downhill in the mid-1990s, when
market leader TVB started to operate in the mode of a large enterprise.

CUHK Journalism lecturer Vivian Tam.

Coupled with a weakening competitor, its approach to production

became complacent and conservative. The style of drama productions fell
into a rut, and the station was reluctant to deviate from perceived winning
formulas that had once scored high ratings.
In the absence of real competition, it was hardly surprising that the
quality of productions dropped.
Critics say TVBs dominance over the industry has been overpowering.
And if that is the case, we must ask ourselves who was responsible for
creating this situation.

DIRECTOR of CUHKs Department of Journalism and Communication

Anthony Fung Ying-him () also believes the government is to
blame for letting the local television industry sink into an unhealthy state.
After the decision to open up the television market in 1998, there were
no follow-up actions, he says. The television industry has been stagnant
because the government lacked any plan regarding its
development.

HKTV begins to poach artistes, set up

studio facilities and produce dramas
and other entertainment programmes.

2012

ATV holds a rally to protest the issuing

of new licences, but the industry and
the public support more free TV.

Vocabulary

enthrall (v)

shoddy (adj)

For example, having developed its creative industry, London has been
faring better than other European cities in the debt crisis, according to
Fung.

the unsuccessful applicant HKTV.

Critical questions
1. What are the problems facing Hong Kongs free
television services?
2. Is it wrong for the government not to grant a licence
to HKTV?

References

A self-contradictory decision
THE governments decision not to grant
a free television licence to entrepreneur
Ricky Wong Wai-kays Hong Kong
Television Network ran against its stated
commitment to develop the local creative
industry.
F u n g s a c a d e m i c d e p a r t m e n t
recently issued a statement urging the
government to show transparency in
the licence-granting process, noting
that free TV services are deeply linked
to the Hong Kong peoples quality of
life, the local business environment and
the development of the SARs creative
industries.

Such mobility prevents any one station from gaining

absolute dominance by locking in all artistes.
The development of Hong Kongs television industry
is stuck in a bottleneck, Fung says. The government
must have a road map for its broadcasting policies. It
must fully open the market for free competition before
our creative industry can see the light again.

1. Communications Authority TV license application

procedures
www.coms-auth.hk/en/licensing/broadcasting/
apply/television/index.html
2. Governments 5 November explanation on free TV
licensing decision
www:info.gov.hk/gia/general/201311/05/
P201311050514.htm
3. Legco question and answer on free TV licence
controversy
www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201310/30/
P201310300407.htm

CUHKs journalism dept. head Fung Ying-him.

120,000 people stage a street rally and gather outside

Government Headquarters to demand that the
government approve HKTVs licence application.

HKTV dismisses 320 noncontract staff.

2013, Oct 19
2013, Oct 16

Fantastic TV and HKTVE obtain

i n - p r i n c i p l e a p p rova l fo r
licences, but not HKTV.

prime (adj)

The financial sector is the key part of the Hong Kong economy. Yet
that sector is susceptible to the influence of external factors over which
we have no control. The development of a strong creative industry would,
therefore, have a stabilising effect on the local economy, shielding it from
a total collapse when the financial sector finds itself in turmoil, he says.

This contrasts with places like the mainland, Taiwan,

Japan and South Korea, where artistes are not owned
by one station but may work for different ones.

2013, Oct 15
2012

2011

FUNG highlights the importance of the creative industry to the territorys

economy.

Fung says the operation of local television is still in

a primitive stage. For example, most of Hong Kongs
television artistes are employees of their station, and
must work exclusively for that station.

New free TV licences timeline

Broadcasting Authority finishes reviewing
three licence applications and submits its
recommendations to the Executive Council.

buildings. That is also the mode of delivery proposed by

Does Hong Kong need a creative industry?

2013, Oct 20
Concerned groups and industry bodies
demand the government explain its reasons
for rejecting HKTVs licence application.

nurture (adj)

innovative (adj)

indisputable (adj)

sustainable (adj)

primitive (adj)