Cable leading way into future

IT has been noted that Hong Kong is arguably one of the most attractive sites for cable television in the world. This was confirmed last year when cable television was ushered in to Hong Kong, tripling programming services from four channels to 12 channels at the flip of a switch.

Responsible for this historic moment was Wharf Cable Television, officially the leading, if not sole, cable broadcaster for Hong Kong and the New Territories.

Viewers have been provided with more programming, more diversity, more movies, news information and more choice. Wharf is planning to double the number of channels they carried before the end of the decade.

STAR Broadcast, another relatively new television broadcast enterprise, established its footprint in Hong Kong when Hutchinson Whampoa launched its satellite just a few years ago. It has also made a significant impact on the home viewer, offering a broadmenu of programming in both Cantonese and English.

STAR's recent commercial campaign supports Wharf Cable's mandate of providing the viewer with diversity through more programming choices. STAR currently has four channels on satellite.

While earlier discussions with Wharf Cable suggest that the two broadcasters may have some joint ventures together in the future, the real choice will come about when the cable and satellite broadcasters are fully integrated with telecommunication networks, providing the viewers with the ability to see ''what they want when they want''.

While entertainment products from our film, music and television industries are growing in demand here in Asia, they are simultaneously stimulating a world-wide appeal which amplifies the participation in what is a billion-dollar media industry.