雙語社評齊齊聽

英語 (足本收聽)

普通話 (足本收聽)

【明報專訊】THOUGH ATV has to cease broadcasting in less than seven months, it has attracted the interest of an investor. Its new shareholder, who has made a huge investment, is believed to covet more than the television station in its current state.

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還有不到7個月營運期的亞視，仍然獲得投資者青睞。亞視新股東投入巨資，有理由相信志不在目前的亞視，而是另有盤算。

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As the Executive Council has decided not to renew ATV's free-to-air TV licence, the station has to cease broadcasting on 1 April 2016. That the new investor is willing to take over the station in spite of this shows that he is more interested in ATV's long-term prospects than its remaining life as a TV broadcaster. We are given to understand that, the new shareholder has proposed a 10-billion-dollar plan, aiming to build a media empire that will consist of ATV. But it is easy to see how risky the investment can be. After ATV's licence has expired, it has to apply for a new licence if it is to continue providing free-to-air TV service. As far as we know, there are at least two consortiums interested in the industry. Not only are they rich in financial resources, the modes of operation they propose are also very competitive. It is difficult to predict whether ATV will stand out among the rest and regain its licence.

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亞視不獲行政會議續牌，只能提供廣播服務到明年4月1日，新投資者仍然願意接手，目光肯定超越已知期限，而是放眼未來。據介紹，亞視新股東提出100億元大計，打造包括亞視在內的傳媒王國，可是這項投資的風險顯而易見。這是因為亞視的牌照到期後，若要繼續提供免費電視服務就須重新申請牌照，迄今已知最少有兩個財團覬覦電視市場；它們財力不弱，提出的營運模式也極具競爭力，因此亞視能否脫穎而出重獲發牌，難以估算。

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Without a shadow of a doubt, those who are still working for ATV will welcome the new investor with open arms. For more than a year, ATV's original shareholders have not been in the public eye, and the television station has been in operational difficulty. ATV employees have not received their salaries on time. The changes that come with the new investment mean that ATV should not be short of funds any more. Still, a huge, immediate challenge lies ahead of ATV's new investor and employees. They have to figure out a way to turn ATV around and give it a new lease of life, so that it will be able to serve the public. They have to show that ATV is a worthy competitor in the industry and has the ability to survive. As ATV's new funds come from mainland China, it merits our attention whether things will go the same, familiar way. What particularly concerns us is the rather negative impression ATV has left with the public over the years. Great effort will be needed if ATV is to build up a new image of itself. Will ATV remain a player in the free-to-air TV market? It is all in its hands.

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目前仍然留在亞視工作的人，肯定歡迎新投資者入股，因為一年多以來，亞視原有股東隱退，營運出現困難，員工持續未能按時獲發薪金；現在的改變，資金應該不再有問題。不過，對新投資者和亞視員工來說，如何改變亞視現有局面，脫胎換骨地服務市民，憑實力證明有競爭和生存能力等，都是即時須面對的嚴峻挑戰。亞視新資金來自內地，會否重蹈以往投資者的覆轍，值得關注；特別是亞視歷來予人印象有些負面，要付出更大努力才可重塑形象，亞視在電視市場會否仍然是其中一個玩家，要靠他們自救。

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While ATV is faced with a new situation, several consortiums have recently expressed interest in gaining a share in Hong Kong's free-to-air TV market. They include a consortium led by David Chiu Tat-cheong, the second son of former ATV major shareholder Deacon Chiu Te Ken. It plans to invest $4.1 billion in the first six years of operation, and will provide services such as news, entertainment shows, financial news and sports programmes. Hong Kong Television Network Limited, whose last application was not successful, is to launch a new bid for a licence. A media group financed by mainland funds has announced that it will invest $6 billion in the development of its TV business in Hong Kong. The group is said to have obtained the television rights to three years' English Premier League matches for $4.7 billion. If the figure is correct, it has set a new record. Obviously, the group is very ambitious for its Hong Kong TV business. Netflix, a US provider of Internet streaming media, has announced that it will enter Hong Kong's TV market early next year.

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除了亞視的新局面，近期有多個財團也有興趣要在電視市場分一杯羹。這包括：一度是亞視大股東邱德根的兒子邱達昌牽頭的財團，提出申請免費電視牌照，計劃首6年投資41億元，提供新聞、娛樂、財經新聞與體育等內容；上次申請牌照失敗的香港電視，繼續申請；另一家內地資金傳播媒體，宣布投入60億元發展香港電視業務，包括傳聞以高達47億元奪得「英超」3季的轉播權，若屬實那就是天價，反映這家媒體要在香港電視市場大展拳腳；美國網絡電視Netflix亦已宣布明年初進軍香港。

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Due to the weakness of ATV, Hong Kong's free-to-air TV industry has long been monopolised by TVB. The lack of competition has led to the continued deterioration of programme quality. To put it simply, the industry has been stagnating. If things go the way they should go, what is happening to the industry will eliminate the weak in favour of the strong. Instead of leaving things to chance, all the players in the market will have to improve if they want to survive. To the Hong Kong public, what is happening is good news - it promises programmes and services of good quality.

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免費電視市場因為亞視長期積弱，無綫變相一台獨大，缺乏競爭使節目質素每况愈下，免費電視宛如一潭死水。行將到來的局面，按正常情况應該出現真正競爭，並會汰弱留強，迫使各個玩家若想生存就要進步，不能再有僥倖之想。對於市民而言，可能出現的局面是好消息：優質節目與優質服務可期。

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明報社評2015.09.11

Presented by lecturers of Hong Kong Community College, PolyU and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Raymond Ng

Lecturer, HKCC

www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/staff_directory/social_communication/NG,_Raymond_Wai-man-140.html

郭熙琳

Lecturer, HKCC

www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/staff_directory/social_communication/GUO,_Xilin-98.html

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