National Geographic has signed a deal with Joong-Ang Broadcasting
Corporation (JBC) to air 200 hours of programming blocks on the
station's Q-Channel next month. Meanwhile, in Singapore, the documentary
network has launched a 24-hour Chinese subtitle service on Singapore
Cable Vision, going out to 200,000 homes. Cable TV subscribers grow 12
per cent iCable, Hong Kong Cable TV's holding company, grew its
subscriber base by 12 per cent to more than 450,000 households last
year. Turnover for iCable increased by seven per cent in 1999 to
HK$1,346 million (US$173.5 million), buoyed by the solid
growth in pay-TV and Internet subscribers. Nevertheless, Hong Kong's
only pay-TV operator recorded a loss of HK$387 million (US$49.9 million) in 1999, an improvement of 46 per cent over 1998.
Meanwhile, Cable TV will enhance its sports coverage from May, when its
Sports 2 Channel expands to a 24-hour service.
