Ricky Wong may leave the TV business
9 Nov – The Hong Kong government has recently released a six-page statement in regards to their decision to grant only two broadcasting license out of three applicants, reiterating that sustaining five free television networks in Hong Kong may lead to a collapse in its free-to-air market.
As reported on Oriental Daily website, in addition to the justification that numerous broadcasters would cause further dilution of the advertising revenue, the government said that HKTV lacked the financial support of a corporate parent, unlike Hong Kong Television Entertainment (which is supported by PCCW) and Fantastic Television (supported by i-Cable).
However, according to Apple Daily website, HKTV Chairman Ricky Wong responded to the official release, saying that the government's statement did not answer a lot of questions.
In a seminar held by Hong Kong Shue Yan University's department for journalism and communication, Ricky expressed his feelings about HKTV's current situation and ambiguous future, saying, "If we can't get the license within the next six months, I will halt my TV business venture. It's like breaking up from a bad relationship. It's better to end it quickly than let it drag forever."
At the same time, Ricky said that he is also looking for other ways to maintain his company and see if HKTV is suitable to tackle other business aspects of television.
"For the moment, I am considering producing Internet dramas. The only problem is online television series have to compete against international productions. Therefore, we need to revise and change our company's production methods," said the HKTV CEO.
