Poor Cable TV. Still struggling to cope with the lower than expected interest in subscribing, and the poor publicity brought on by their monopolising the Euro 96 soccer championships, Cable must now contend with the ultimate indignity of being snubbed by Hong Kong's future rulers.
Beijing's advertisements, promoting the nomination process for the Selection Committee, yesterday began appearing on every radio and TV station in Hong Kong, with the exception of Cable's 20-plus channels.
External Affairs Director Garmen Chan Ka-yiu refused to say why his station had been left out: 'It's a matter for the Government and the Preparatory Committee. We won't take the initiative to ask why.' Some suspected China was showing its anger at Cable's relay of the BBC World Service as well as Playboy's Category III offerings, both of which are banned on the mainland. But a government insider insisted the reason was far simpler: not enough people watch Cable to make it worth bothering to ask them to air the adverts.
Equal Opportunities Commissioner Dr Fanny Cheung Mui-ching has hardly had good press since her appointment, stumbling from one mishap to another by refusing to comment on every alleged instance of discrimination, from Lippo Securities' abortive ban on female staff wearing trousers to the protests against the Richland Gardens AIDS centre.
But Quarry Bay understands she has connections where it counts.
Not only has Dr Cheung taken to privately telling visitors how much she supports the idea of a provisional legislature - which the Government still firmly opposes - but it has emerged that she is a close relative of Wendy Lo, wife of aspiring Chief Executive Lo Tak-shing.