City Telecom has proposed to change its name to Hong Kong Television Network Limited in a bid to prove it is a quality free-to-air licence applicant.
CTI also showed highlights of its catalogue of television programmes at an event on Tuesday. Many of its more than 220 artists and 500 member of its production crew attended to campaign for CTI.
The company has already invested HK$87.6 million in programming after it sold its 20-year-old telecom business for HK$5 billion in May to focus on television. Four drama series have been completed and four are in production.
But more than three years since submitting its bid for a licence, alongside rival bids from subsidiaries of PCCW and i-Cable, the government has yet to issue any new free-to-air licences.
On Monday, more than 100 CTI employees attended a town hall meeting with Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying. They urged him to open up the television market, and lamented the government’s delay in issuing new free-to-air licences.
Some employees accused the government of collusion with TVB and ATV. Leung dismissed the allegation and asked for evidence.