German expats upset at Now TV fee for Deutsche Welle channel
Pay-television provider Now Broadband TV may have scrapped plans to charge viewers for the Australia Network but the company is not backing down on charging for the Deutsche Welle channel.
Deutsche Welle, which means 'German wave', is Germany's international broadcaster and is similar to the BBC World Service and the Australia Network. It covers news, politics, business and lifestyle from a German perspective and is popular among that country's 3,000-strong expatriate community.
However, the channel has recently been carrying a message from Now TV warning that the service would no longer be provided free.
A member of the German community, who wanted to stay anonymous, said the fee had caused a stir among expatriates who relied on the station to receive news from home. 'Many felt that it was unfair to introduce the fee,' he said.
The channel is available to Hong Kong viewers through the two pay-TV broadcasters. Now TV has been carrying the service free for five years while Cable TV subscribers pay HK$128 for a package of six international channels, including Deutsche Welle.
A spokeswoman for Now TV said its plan to charge for the Deutsche Welle channel, starting from last week, was agreed with the German broadcaster in advance.
'Deutsche Welle understands that Now TV operates in a highly competitive environment and the broadcasting of the channel incurred significant costs,' she said. Now TV had offered the German broadcaster the option of sharing costs so that the channel could remain free but the proposal was rejected, she added.
Now TV is offering the Deutsche Welle channel for HK$65 per month (for mini-pack customers) or HK$78 per month on an a-la-carte basis.
The German consulate in Hong Kong said it was a business decision and would not comment.
In a similar row earlier this month, Now TV withdrew its plan to charge viewers for the Australia Network after both broadcasters 'agreed on a joint promotional and marketing strategy to recover the costs'. The channel is now staying free-to-air on Now TV.
Kristian Murfitt, a South China Morning Post reader who watches both channels on Now TV, said he was disappointed to hear about the introduction of the fee. 'While I am happy that the Super 14s [rugby union competition, offered by Australia Network] are back on screen, my wife is none too pleased that Deutsche Welle has become the most recent target of Now TV's search for a little more revenue,' he said.
Far from home
German expats cry foul at the charge for the Deutsche Welle channel
The estimated number of German expatriates in Hong Kong is: 3,000
