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SCMP Reporter

WHARF Cable network, the only 24-hour pay-television broadcaster in Hong Kong, is set to expand this month with the launch of three new channels.

  The network, which is the first in the world to launch a round-the-clock Chinese news channel and operates seven other channels, opens its educational station at 5 pm today.

  A women's channel and an international channel, showing programmes for different nationalities living in Hong Kong, will start broadcasting this month.

  ''The new channels are just all part of our service and will provide a whole new era of home entertainment in Hong Kong,'' said Laurie Ho, promotions and publicity manager.

  ''Wharf Cable's aim is to provide a complete home entertainment package so there is a wide range of choice for everyone in the family.''   Already subscribers can switch on channels dedicated to movies, sports, entertainment and news in English and Cantonese.

  A preview channel, giving schedules and details of programmes on all channels, is included in a $198-a-month subscription package.

  Wharf Cable's flagship is the Chinese news and current affairs channel, which provides on-the-spot coverage of Hong Kong, China and world events.

  A team of 300 journalists gathers up-to-date news on local issues.

  For those who speak English, a news channel giving regional, world and financial news has proved popular.

  Wharf Cable has a deal with Cable News Network to broadcast international news stories as they happen.

  At the end of last month, the network launched its first local English news service with former TVB anchor Peter Maize at the helm.

   The channel broadcasts two English newscasts a day, at 7.30 pm and 11.30 pm, and a 30-minute current affairs programme.

  ''Eventually, we want to have more local news broadcast entirely in English,'' Ms Ho said.

  A movie channel shows films from Hollywood, Asia and Europe. Each movie will be shown once in Cantonese and once in the original language with Chinese subtitles.

  Wharf Cable also has an agreement with the American sports channel, ESPN, to broadcast events live via satellite from 7 am to 6.30 pm. Highlights are shown three times a day.

  ''From 5.30 pm local sporting events are shown,'' she said.

  ''Top-quality local drama productions on the entertainment channel have also proved popular. No other network in the world sells theatre programmes in Cantonese.''   Teenagers can find out what is happening on the local music scene by switching on the youth music culture channel which is also one of the biggest promoters of local bands and musicians.

  Although Wharf Cable is trying to provide a diverse range of services and is targeting a wide range of consumer groups, it is also scheduling programmes for minority groups.

  ''One group that is often neglected, but is a large slice of the market, is children,'' Miss Ho said.

  ''A 24-hour Cantonese channel for children aged six to 12, giving educational programmes, cartoons, games and drama, is what the Hong Kong market really needs.''   She said that previously, Hong Kong children had only a few hours a day of programming designed for them.

  Another market often neglected by other stations that Wharf caters for is women.

  The new women's station will look at current affairs, finance and business and issues that affect the modern woman.

  ''Most networks . . . forget that women want more than just soap operas and cooking classes,'' Ms Ho said.

  The Preview channel, which has operated since last October, is an electronic TV guide.

 Pictures from each channel are shown with a programme simultaneously so people who cannot speak and read Cantonese can understand what is on each channel.

  Cable broadcasts around the clock but, like STAR TV, repeats many of its programmes daily.

    The two public television broadcasters in Hong Kong provide two channels in Chinese and two with predominantly English programmes, but neither operates from 2 am to 6 am.

        ''The repeat pattern is part of the programming strategy so viewers can watch programmes at their own time,'' Ms Ho said.

  Cable International Channel will be launched on May 23 and the women's channel on May 16.



Network to pack more into 24 hours