I was inspired to write this after reading Deborah Herd's TV Eye headlined, 'Amateurism rules' (South China Morning Post, August 28).
After having lived in Hong Kong for over four years, I too have found the television programming to be pitiful, and an absolutely sorry attempt to entertain.
I'll concede that it does inform the viewer of what's going on in the world, but when did this start being the core of prime-time viewing? It is depressing to realise that the most entertaining thing to watch on TV these days is Freddy's daily weather report.
It seems that the stations don't give a wink for the convenience of the viewer, putting the entertaining shows on either before one gets home from work, or after they have gone to bed; yet in the time-space between, they have sickening shows such as Full House, or informational shows such as the Financial Report. Not that I mind the Financial Report, but why must they show Money Magazine a half hour later? Deborah Herd also stated the problems of TV time listings, and the actual time the show does appear.
When a movie or show is on after I have gone to bed, I set the recorder for the time-slot given in the listings, only to find that I record half of the show, and an hour of Telefishion, due to the fact that the station has decided to shift the show's time slot. As relaxing as Telefishion is, I am vexed to have missed my movie, thanks to the incompetence of TV programmers. The TV station's purpose is to both entertain and inform, of which it seems to be doing a tawdry job.
TIM CROUCH Tai Tam
