It's an open secret that in its previous two incarnations -- neither of which lasted more than two years -- TVB's pay-TV offering has not been the hit that the media owner might have hoped for.
The broadcaster is not used to anything other than a great reception from viewers; its terrestrial service in Cantonese, TVB Jade, has all of the city's top-rating programmes and attracts the major share of television advertising investment. But what was launched in 2002 as exSun, then re-launched in May last year as SuperSun, failed to get subscribers tuning in in significant numbers.
The broadcaster is not used to anything other than a great reception from viewers; its terrestrial service in Cantonese, TVB Jade, has all of the city's top-rating programmes and attracts the major share of television advertising investment. But what was launched in 2002 as exSun, then re-launched in May last year as SuperSun, failed to get subscribers tuning in in significant numbers.
Hong Kong's pay-TV market has long been dominated by iCable, which, until deregulation at the turn of the millennium was the only horse in the race, and more recently by PCCW's broadband television service, Now Broadband, which claims half a million subscribers. Last October, SuperSun offered new subscribers cut-price monthly bills if they signed up for 18 months, after iCable and Now launched more flexible packages allowing consumers to pick and pay for the channels they wanted.
Just a few months later, though, TVB relaunched its paid-for service again, this time as TVB Pay Vision. It's hoping that this, along with an agreement for its programming to be carried on Now Broadband, expected to take effect within weeks, will finally help it achieve its target of 300,000 subscribers within three years of the launch of exSun. TVB Pay Vision offers more than 40 channels, eight with content supplied by TVB, such as TVB Classic, TVB Drama, and TVB Health. Other channels include CCTV, MTV Southeast Asia, BBC World, National Geographic, Cartoon Network, three movie channels and four adult channels.
TVB says its link with Now means its 300,000 target can be achieved ahead of schedule and the venture will break even next year. The market certainly has room to grow subscriber numbers; pay-TV penetration is less than 50 per cent in Hong Kong, far lower than many other developed markets in Asia. So, if TVB is right this time, a brighter future lies ahead.
