Free Korean drama and Jasper Tsang reality show on air as Hong Kong’s ViuTV launches
Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah says audiences still value good programmes, even if modern technology has changed the way viewers watch them
Aside from ViuTV, the series is currently available only on Korean TV channel KBS and mainland Chinese online television and film portal iQiyi.com.
Korean superstars Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo in Hong Kong to kick off ViuTV launch
ViuTV will broadcast its self-produced reality show Travel with Rivals at 10.00pm, featuring radical lawmaker “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung on a charity trip to Poland with long-time political frenemy Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, a veteran of the pro-establishment camp and president of the Legislative Council.
#跟住矛盾去旅行 曾鈺成 X 梁國雄上年聖誕，曾主席同長毛講：「你做聖誕老人，我做你隻鹿。」（真實對白）…節目入面仲有好多冧冧句子，句句都有愛呀！4月6日一齊收看ViuTV學嘢啦！hehe:)Leung Kwok Hung Jasper Tsang Yok-sing#波蘭 #ViuTV #免費電視99台 #4月6日 #全港收看 #唔駛機頂盒http://www.viu.tv/Posted by ViuTV on Monday, March 14, 2016
Other programmes on Wednesday include news reports at 6pm and 8pm.
PCCW, ViuTV’s owner, has pledged to invest HK$2.7 billion in the station for the first 10 years of its operation. The station will syndicate news programmes from sister company NowTV, the pay TV station under PCCW, according to ViuTV general manager Lo Ting-fai.
‘I’m a risk-taker’: head of Hong Kong’s new free-to-air TV station pledges creative programming
Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah, who attended its opening ceremony, said people still valued great TV programmes, despite modern technology significantly changing the way people watch them – not necessarily through traditional television channels.
The finance chief said the city’s TV industry had been an important contributor to the local economy, accounting for around 5 per cent of GDP – the same amount as tourism.
Lo told the reporters after its opening ceremony that the advertising coverage at its launch day was “almost full”, reaching at least 99 per cent.
Lo said he was “cautiously optimistic” about ratings for Wednesday, which will only be available from May.
Lo said ViuTv was aware of HKTV’s second application, and that it would respect the city’s legal system, and leave it to the relevant parties to decide.
