RAYMOND Wong Yuk-man's small office is adorned with ornaments: a Thai Buddha symbolising wealth, a framed picture of him with the late Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng and a poster of Demi Moore revealing her cleavage.
Only volumes of Chinese history books and serious news magazines confirmed the scholarly side of the media personality and outspoken China critic whose first major claim to fame was as co-host of a television talk show, which was dropped by ATV last year - after 64 episodes - and allegedly under pressure from China.
When Wong, 43, was hired to co-host News Tease with publisher Albert Cheng King-hon, little was known of the former department head of the Faculty of Journalism at the Taiwan-affiliated Chu Hai College. He made his mark as a TV interrogator savaging pro-Beijing 'running dogs' and local politicians who 'blow with the wind'.
Incumbent legislator Frederick Fung kin-kee was pounced on for allegedly putting his political self-interests before democracy and people's livelihoods. Legislator Chim Pui-chung sparked a community furore when he said on the show women were either wives or mistresses and that all men were sex fiends.
All these enhanced News Tease, turning it quickly into a top-rated news programme, and Wong a media phenomenon. 'Everybody knows who I am now,' boasts Wong, adding. 'Even the Governor knows of my programme.' Now, nine months after News Tease was dropped, Wong maintains a high-profile and money is pouring in. He said his popularity was 'unprecedented': 'You won't be able to find somebody [who is such a cross-media success as I am]. It is not a matter of being humble. I am only stating a fact.' And the facts speak for themselves. Wong has a weekly column in Hong Kong's best-selling news magazine, Next, and writes daily for two Chinese newspapers, the fast-rising Apple Daily and Express News.
He also hosts two weekly programmes for Commercial Radio and has three weekly slots on Radio Television Hong Kong's TV and radio sections.