SATELLITE & CABLE: Hong Kong bids to boost regional role - SAR seeks to snatch back title of satellite broadcasting hub of Asia

<p>Hong Kong, still smarting over the relocation of most of the </p><p>region's satellite broadcasters to Singapore during the past few years, </p><p>is strengthening attempts to become the centre for the production of </p><p>Chinese-language television programming. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Despite the fact that the territory has lagged significantly behind </p><p>Singapore in operational and technological development, the SAR is </p><p>nonetheless grabbing the edge in Chinese programming production. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Industry analysts said the SAR's recent move to open its pay-TV market </p><p>is paving the way to encourage competition and hence TV programming </p><p>production in Hong Kong. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In the lead-up to the new pay-TV scene, Star TV has launched a </p><p>multimedia DTV, combining the Internet, satellite TV and ecommerce </p><p>services in one platform. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Meanwhile, Star TV and Cable & Wireless HKT have formed a new multimedia </p><p>venture which will combine Star's DTV and Cable & Wireless's iTV </p><p>services to offer 50 channels of multimedia services. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Cable & Wireless and Star TV will respectively own 60 per cent and 40 </p><p>per cent of the new company, with the plan being for it to be publicly </p><p>listed in Hong Kong and New York. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Meanwhile, the territory's only current pay-TV operator, Hong Kong Cable </p><p>TV, has listed its its Internet company, i-Cable Communications, on the </p><p>stock exchange. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The move to raise capital in the stock exchange and to form multimedia </p><p>convergence ventures has set a new TV scene: Hong Kong's pay-TV market </p><p>will flourish in terms of content and technology development. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Cable & Wireless HKT, TVB, Star TV and Turner are among the 10 </p><p>contenders bidding for the pay- TV licences which are up for grabs; </p><p>however, the Hong Kong government has yet to reveal the exact date a </p><p>decision will be made or the number of licences to be issued. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>What is undisputed is that an increase in the number of new players in </p><p>the TV market will create greater demand for content creation, </p><p>particularly locally-produced programmes. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Star TV chairman Gareth Chang said DTV, with 50 channels on its </p><p>platform, plans to roll out two to three Cantonese channels. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>As the biggest Chinese programme producer in the world, TVB is believed </p><p>to have held discussions with Cable & Wireless HKT/Star TV to launch up </p><p>to six news channels. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In addition, TVB has invested in the satellite broadcasting complex at </p><p>Clearwater Bay, as well as a direct-to-home service in Taiwan. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Increasing demand for Chinese programming content in Greater China, as </p><p>well as Southeast Asia, will strengthen the SAR's edge in developing </p><p>itself as a TV production hub. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Singapore was picked for many regional broadcasters' headquarters mainly </p><p>due to its relatively cheaper operational costs, variety of uplink </p><p>facilities and tax breaks. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>An industry analyst said the next phase of satellite TV development in </p><p>Asia should no longer be just in software, but in content enhancement, </p><p>in order to lure local viewership. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Hong Kong, with its abundant experience in movie and television </p><p>programme production, has the potential to develop itself as a </p><p>production hub in Asia, said the analyst. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Never-theless, Hong Kong still needs to offer competitive costs to </p><p>attract content suppliers and producers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>With more than 60 cable channels and over 90 per cent cable penetration, </p><p>Taiwan is seen to be a potential broadcasting hub in Asia. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>As far as Taiwan is concerned, governmental restrictions, red tape and </p><p>uplink barriers to mainland China are among a number of sticky issues </p><p>which continue to pose a real barrier to its ambitions as a broadcasting </p><p>centre for the region. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>