BRIEFINGS: NatGeo distributes on Korea's JBC

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