TVB wins back right to broadcast Mark Six and horse racing - only on its digital channel
As TVB takes over ATV's rights, 480,000 homes with old analogue television sets will miss out
Punters from as many as 480,000 households who do not own digital television sets may miss out on live broadcasts of Mark Six and horse racing after TVB took over ATV's exclusive rights and decided to air them only on its digital channel J2.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club, which has run the Mark Six since 1975, announced yesterday that broadcasting rights to the lottery draw and racing would return to TVB because ATV's licence expires next April. ATV has broadcast them since July 2001. TVB previously held the rights to both from July 1997 to June 2001.
Following the government's decision not to renew ATV's licence, the Jockey Club said there would be new arrangements to ensure the lottery and horse races continued to be shown live on television.
From August 1, TVB will show them live on its high-definition J2 digital channel.
Government figures show that about 20 per cent of the population, 480,000 households, have old analogue TV sets that are unable to receive digital broadcasts. They will have to acquire a new digital TV set or install a digital set-top box to continue to watch the free broadcasts.
Asked whether the interests of these minority viewers had been taken into account, a TVB spokesman said: "TVB needs to balance the interests of viewers.
"Airing TV series [at night] Monday to Friday is our primary strategy … imagine how many complaints we would receive if we ceased broadcasts of a popular drama series every Wednesday and aired horse races instead [on our Jade channel]."
The station's Jade and Pearl channels are broadcast in both digital and analogue formats.
The Jockey Club said the shifting of TV from analogue to digital modes was a worldwide trend and that digital TV penetration was very high in Hong Kong. The public could also view free racing and Mark Six through free mobile platforms, it said. "The Club is open to other options that facilitate the public in viewing free broadcasting of horse racing and Mark Six programmes."
Lawmaker Sin Chung-kai, a regular commentator on broadcasting policy, played down the impact of the new arrangements. He believed only a few punters, who were from underprivileged families and could not afford a digital TV set, would be affected.
Users of internet chat forums said it would be a welcome move if TVB or the Jockey Club gave out free digital set-top boxes to enable more people to watch races on the digital channel.
The loss of exclusive rights to broadcast racing and the Mark Six draw was a further blow to ATV, whose share in the free-to-air TV market and broadcasting spectrum are being eyed by new entrants to the market.
But all is not lost for ATV. Last month a source close to the station told the a new deal was being lined up with investors who could give the broadcaster capital to keep it going.
