South China Morning PostToday, 21:01
Financial Secretary John Tsang (left) and Commercial Radio chief adviser Stephen Chan host the TV forum. Photo: David Wong
Local content showcasing Hong Kong identity and values was key to the success of television in the city, new TV players told a forum organised by Commercial Radio on Monday.
The heads of new free television operator ViuTV, mainland internet content provider LeEco and Hong Kong Television Network (HKTV) stressed that locally produced content catering to a Hong Kong audience was important and the city’s market could sustain more new players.
LeEco’s Asia-Pacific chief executive, Mok Chui-tin, said although the internet-based over-the-top (OTT) network provider was a mainland company, it waved the local flag and pledged to influence mainland audiences with Hong Kong content.
“We need to understand why our TV industry is so dire today. The problem is the content. Current TV licensees should focus on producing local content,” Mok said.
Mok said LeEco is launching a HK$20 million campaign to recruit talented local scriptwriters able to come up with creative scripts.
“There is no restriction to the subject and format. There will be no political censorship,” he said. “As long as it’s creative and it fits our online content platform, we accept the submission. The judging panel will decide the winner.”
Mok admitted that LeEco had “red capital”, a term used to describe mainland money.
“But our capital is red because it has blood and sweat. Our team put in a lot of effort in building this company,” Mok said.
LeEco plans to hire 250 staff in Hong Kong this year. The first 100 will be hired at a recruitment event taking place on Friday. Mok added that the mainland company was building a new studio in Tsuen Wan where streaming of high-quality 4K videos would be possible.
He said at the moment, LeEco relied on facilities in Guangdong for productions that were also shown in Hong Kong. Even though the shows used Cantonese, they drew criticism as the terminology was different from that used in Hong Kong.
Mok gave an assurance that by the time the Hong Kong studio was ready, all productions would be made and broadcast from the city, and they would also cover the mainland.
HKTV chairman Ricky Wong Wai-kay said basic construction of a multimedia centre in Tseung Kwan O had been completed and interior decoration was now under way.
He said there would be three 10,000 sq ft studios and a 6,000 sq ft news studio. He said HKTV still had a mobile TV licence and was waiting for the result of its second application for a free TV licence. The first was rejected.
Wong said local content, particularly drama, was important. “If we have to preserve Hong Kong values and culture, we must keep producing dramas,” he said, but he did not reveal when HKTV would restart making such programmes.
ViuTV’s general manager, Lofai Lo, said besides drama, reality and variety programmes featuring local personalities would also attract a good audience seeking something different. ViuTV will be fully launched on digital channel 99 on April 6.
Raymond Ho, who chairs the Hong Kong Advertisers Association, said advertisers did not like having no options in placing TV ads, and was confident the city’s advertising could support a competitive TV industry.
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1925075/fly-hong-kong-flag-say-new-tv-operators
