Hong Kong Denies Broadcast Licence Renewal

Hong Kong’s
embattled Asia Television (ATV) has been shut down midnight last Friday, ending its 59 years of broadcasting service.
After broadcasting its final programme, a re-run of the 2013 Miss Asia Pageant, ATV bid farewell to its audience by showing a card on the screen at 11:59 p.m.
People went to ATV’s headquarters in Tai Po on Friday to take pictures and witness the last moment of the broadcasting.
On April 1, 2015, the Hong Kong Government decided not to renew ATV’s free-to-air TV license
Its licence expired on April 1 as according to the law, a 12-month notice period was to be given for the non-renewal decision.
Launched as Re-diffusion Television in 1957, ATV was a pioneer of entertainment in Hong Kong’s broadcasting history.
The station is said to have experienced its “golden era” in 1980s.
However, in late 1990s, it was hit by a financial crisis after experiencing several ownership shifts.
In early March, ATV’s provisional liquidator Deloitte dismissed the remaining 400 employees as it was unable to reach an agreement with ATV’s new investor, Si Rongbin.
Jeff Wong, ATV’s senior Public Affairs Manager, told the media that he believed the station will find alternative ways to operate, for example by providing internet TV services.
“However, that will be subject to the decision of the broadcaster’s investors,” he said.
The Public Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), which took over ATV’s two analogue channels, launched a television broadcast at 12:00 p.m. Saturday after ATV ceased its signals.
The Television Broadcast or TVB has left to be the only TV channel providing free-to-air programmes in Hong Kong.