HONG KONG'S ambitions to become Asia's broadcasting hub have been dealt another blow with news that another satellite television programmer will locate its production centre in Singapore.
Alexander Brown, Hong Kong-based managing director of the sports network ESPN Asia, told Sunday Money the centre would open in Singapore in the second quarter of 1995, although the executive offices and part of its satellite signal-relaying operation will remain in Hong Kong.
The action follows the decision by a core of leading satellite broadcasters to opt for the island republic because of delays in liberalising Hong Kong's broadcasting laws, worries about political interference after 1997 and financial incentives offered by Singapore.
While Mr Brown insisted ESPN made the move ''purely as a practical and business decision'', another broadcaster complained: ''The Hong Kong Government said it wanted our business, and to be honest everyone would rather be here than Singapore.
''But when I dealt with the Government, I got the feeling they were not really interested in getting the business - they were not prepared to push on our behalf.'' In the last 18 months, the US film channel Home Box Office (HBO), MTV, documentary channel Discovery, Walt Disney, business channel Asia Business Network (ABN) and now ESPN have either based their production facilities in Singapore or announced plans to do so.
Turner Broadcasting Systems (TBS) is the only mainstream programmer to base its production centre and uplinking facilities for CNN International and the soon-to-be-launched entertainment channel TNT and Cartoon Network in Hong Kong.
Ironically, Recreation and Culture Branch Secretary James So Yiu-cho has repeatedly stated he wants to make Hong Kong Asia's broadcasting hub. Last year he claimed he had ''half a dozen applications'' for uplinking licences on his desk; in a speech in Vancouver last week Mr So claimed the territory was ''the broadcasting centre in the Asia-Pacific region''.
