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ATV’s plight is now looking decidedly bleak after many staff walked out. Photo: Sam Tsang

Lights out: ATV ‘unable’ to broadcast news after mass exodus over unpaid wages

It’s finally curtains for Asia Television before its licence expires on April 1 as it does not have enough staff to carry on broadcasting news on Saturday after top management and many employees quit over unpaid wages on Friday.

Most employees were left with no option but to walk out as the management of the beleaguered station failed to deliver on its promise to settle two months of unpaid wages on Friday.

READ MORE: Management of Hong Kong’s cash-strapped ATV vow utmost effort to pay salaries after angry staff told to wait another month

At the same time major ATV creditor Wong Ching, who sold his controlling stake to mainland businessman Si Rongbin last year, filed an order with the High Court to liquidate the broadcaster. It is understood that the transaction between him and Si has not yet been completed.

In his statement, Wong said he made the move as “the new investor could not fulfil his role” and “to avoid the chaos persisting”.

Furious and cash-strapped staff called on the government to take the case seriously and provide support for employees, many of whom quit on Friday using a clause under labour law that protects workers owed wages.

“We don’t know what else can be done,” said ATV veteran actor Frankie Choi Kwok-wai. “We hope the government can step in and help us all.”

On Friday morning, ATV’s remaining 300 employees were expecting to be paid their wages for December and January by cheque at around 3pm. But there was no sign of any cheques.

“I have tried my best to pay staff their December and January wages. But unfortunately the company does not have enough money to do so,” the station’s chief operations officer, Charles Ma Hay, told reporters at ATV’s Tai Po headquarters on Friday night.

“I have requested an urgent board meeting to discuss ATV’s future development,” he said.

READ MORE: Decision not to renew ATV licence wins government rare praise

Ma walked away without answering questions, prompting reporters to chase after him. An ATV reporter asked if Ma and managers were ashamed of themselves, but there was no response.

Ma sent his staff an internal email to announce his resignation right after he spoke to the press.

The Labour Department sent representatives to meet staff on Friday night and had issued a warning letter to ATV management.

It also contacted other broadcasters to see if they had openings for ATV staff, said the spokesman.

The entire human resources team reportedly quit, and only two directors were left to produce newscasts. That would make it impossible to broadcast news, even if a skeletal crew of reporters and editors remained.

The chief news editor sent a message out to remaining staff advising them to take compensation leave instead of turning up for work on Saturday.

“I have spent half my life here and never thought the company would end up this way,” sobbed a veteran reporter who resigned on Friday.

As of Thursday, 16 staff had quit the news department. Senior vice-president Lau Lan-cheong also resigned and more left on Friday.

ATV must comply with its licensing terms according to the Broadcasting Ordinance, the Communications Authority said, adding that it would keep an eye on the situation.

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