TVB Lends a Helping Hand to ATV

ATV and TVB have been rivals for the past 50 years, but in a time of crisis, TVB is willing to lend a helping hand. With ATV on the brink of a financial collapse, TVB has decided to help the ailing station by purchasing the broadcast rights of several Hong Kong Cantonese vintage films for millions of HKD.

At the Walk for Millions held on January 11, ATV executive Ip Ka Po (葉家寶) and a group of ATV artistes held up signs to show that they would not step down in the face of crisis. Many passerbys also shouted their support to ATV. Even TVB artistes, including TVB executive Mark Lee (李寶安), gave ATV their support. The artistes from the two camps greeted each other and chatted amiably.

Showing good sportsmanship, it was revealed that TVB has purchased the broadcasting rights to several ATV vintage films in the past few months. Mark Lee confirmed this piece of news, announcing that TVB has bought six to eight ATV-licensed black-and-white Cantonese films for several million HKD. TVB will digitally remaster the films before airing them online. Mark Lee also added that TVB is willing to provide ATV with even more resources—such as news clips and interviews—if ATV asks for them.

Asked if TVB purchased the films at cheap prices, ATV executive Ip Ka Po explained that as long as the money can help ATV recover from its current slump, the amount is not an issue.

In ATV’s upcoming fundraising concert, Ip Ka Po said ATV will invite the competitors of Asian Millionstar <亞洲星光大道> for the concert. The station has already sent out an invitation to award-winning singer-songwriter Adason Lo (羅力威), who made his debut through the first season of Asian Millionstar, to make a guest appearance, but it is currently unclear if Adason has room in his schedule. ATV will also contact legendary singer Paula Tsui (徐小鳳) to convince her to return.

With ATV attempting to find new sponsors to help its financial crisis, there may be a possibility that ATV will have to borrow artistes from other stations. TV King Wayne Lai (黎耀祥) said, “We are all sitting in the same boat now. If the companies do take action of this, I don’t mind collaborating.”

ATV has cut back many services and benefits for its workers, such as food and water. ATV artiste Frankie Choi (蔡國威) said he has not been working at the station so he was not aware of it. Kiwi Yuen (袁潔儀) heard that some coworkers had to bring their own toilet paper for the bathroom. She praised, “The ATV staff is very strong at adapting! If they were stuck in a deserted island, they could still survive for months.”

Source: Oriental Daily

This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.

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Responses

  1. Bring toilet paper ? That is really an extreme! I used to love ATV series back in the 90s and TVB as well. Not only ATV, but TVB is terrible with their recent dramas. I started to watch K-dramas and slowly adapting to their styles.

    1. Because once yo’ve seen one K-Drama its pretty much rehashed storylines and the same theme from then on. lol

  2. Nice as it may sound that TVB is lending ATV a helping hand at a time of crisis, I can’t help but think that TVB has a hidden motive in helping them. I think that they are scared of seeing ATV go, as it may then clear some of HKTV’s obstacles in getting a TV licence.

    Can you really believe that TVB who were reported in the past for being stingy to its own contracted artistes like paying out a very low salary, is now actually helping ATV out of pure heart and good intentions?

    1. Who the hell cares. Help us help. This site seriously has a lot of hate for tvb despite you guys all spending the time to read these articles and comment. Jayne, I sincerely advice you to get disqus. It filters out a lot of hate and trolls. Some comment on your website is so offensive sometimes.

      1. @Sjsidn

        I don’t find anything that Panda said insinuated hate or even deemed offensive. Conspiracy? Maybe! Hate? NO! There’s nothing wrong with having an opinion of a different side to a story.

        The word “hate” and “haters” is thrown around way too loosely these days just because someone has a different opinion from you, that’s doesn’t mean it’s hate. Please learn the differences.

  3. Help or taking advantage? All is fair in business but I am amazed TVB PR is spinning this into some charitable kindness.

    1. Definitely have to agree with you funn. the only reason ATV collapsed in the first place was because of TVB’s unfair disadvantages. If people noticed closely a lot of actors including green leaf actors were poached into tvb. not to be mean but how can adason lo even help he is like lower than a b list celebritiy that used ava liu for publicity.

      1. @holiday

        I think you need to ask your parents or grandparents during the early era of TV Broadcasting in HK. ATV’s predecessor held the monopoly in HK until TVB came into being and challenge them. ATV’s predecessor had an advantage being the dominant one in the market. TVB had to compete as a new entry into the market with no audience base.

        If they have gained any advantage over the years, it is not because of any unfair advantage. It is very much earned by TVB.

        TVB is becoming complacent and if they are replaced by a new station. So be it, but cut the crap about unfair advantage and holding prejudice towards TVB.

      2. TVB effectively used their market dominance to control and manipulate the market. ATV might have had an early start, but what TVB did in the 90s, 00s were textbook monopolistic. Not until 2008 were singers allowed on ATV without retaliation. The music labels finally had enough and revolted. Now they are trying to fix their image as a nicer and gentler TVB. Make no mistake, the tactics they used during those years were vindictive and anti-competitive. They very much would love to keep the status quo. Keep ATV alive, but weak. If ATV ever fails, they might have to deal with a real strong newcomer to the market.

    2. @Funn

      Agreed! TVB won’t do anything charitable unless they can gain tangible benefits as well.

      1. Well that’s how the game is played in the real business world. Every business would like to gain their benefits when it comes to working with other businesses/companies. I would never expect tvb to help any other company without gaining some sort of benefit whether it be shortcoming or in the long run. There is no free lunch in the business world. So I don’t see the reason for people to think evil of tvb in this situation when reality is atv is actually struggling, so gaining benefit or not, tvb is helping them in some way at this time. Whether atm survives in the long future is a different story…

      2. @Clementine

        I agree with what you say for the most part; however, TVB bought the rights to those ATV classics at cut-throat prices. This is a business deal, more than a charitable offer, yet TVB twists the story to make it appear as if they did ATV a favor, a favor that’s more beneficial to TVB.

      3. If they were sincere and genuine about offering assistance. They would’ve paid at fair market value, but they didn’t.

      4. Though I never said tvb was genuine and sincere in their business deal, I do agree that this is more beneficial towards tvb than it is to atv. My point is, atv is on the bad end, so tvb jumping into ‘help’ is at least something. Tvb making it sound and seem like they are the hero to atvs crisis I can definitely see, like making atv bow it’s head down at their feet. But I’d like to think that atv would rather have tvb buy its films for some sort of finance coming through rather than not. Tvb using this as an opportunity to make themselves appear to be a lifesaver is something I wouldn’t rule out.

  4. Not sure if TVB is trying to change their image by giving them a hand, they can perhaps fusion and open doors for both station to borrow artist to bring more freshness on TV.

    1. not really stealing,according to the media they pay millions to buy the rights.

  5. Of course TVB has their own agenda, which is to monopolize the market. 🙂

  6. That Ricky guy should buy over ATV.. Then he doesn’t need to fight for new license..

    1. If it was that simple, I’m sure he would’ve considered it ages ago. But it’s not simply just having the money and an idea/goal in mind that would make things all the merrier. There is the political side of it that might have Ricky’s companys series not air at all even if he bought atv, because atv is pretty much ruled over by the government. With Ricky’s anti gov history , Domt think he’d have it easy even if he had the money to buy the company annnnd pay for their debts.

  7. Kiwi Yuen. I was her fan back in the 90s. She was heavily promoted in her earlier days with, but, later focus on hosting.

  8. wow no toilet paper even?! hahaha ! is tvb lending a hand so the keep atv there, so that a certain channel cannot come into the fold? hahahha!

  9. Although they’ve been rivals for so long, I feel like TVB & ATV like each other more than they like HKTV which is probably the reason why TVB is willing to help ATV. probably want to ally together to defend against HKTV hahaha

  10. The thing is how many month more ATV can survived after this fund raising ? The most basic espenses for a company also cant afford, then how to produced or buy programme to air? Find another investor to pump in money n become the sharehoolder ? Who will…. once you buy ATV you need to pump in money then you have to bare the current liability of ATV (unless under indivual name) … Who will ? Just closed it, too late to safe … their balance sheet was too ugly while their product was shit….

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