Beleaguered Hong Kong broadcaster ATV may shut down early if licence is suspended
Communications Authority starts process, citing station’s failure to transmit newscasts, pay fees and penalties and ensure residence requirements for board members
Beleaguered Asia Television could stop broadcasting sooner than expected as the media watchdog has decided to embark on steps to suspend its licence for 30 days.
Under a notice served on it on Monday by the Communications Authority, the TV station has 28 days to explain itself to the authority for a series of serious regulatory breaches.
If it fails to do so by then, the death knell would be rung sooner – at least 10 days before its April 1 deadline for closure.
READ MORE: No staff, no news at dying Hong Kong broadcaster ATV
The Communications Authority said on Monday night that it decided to “resort to the most severe sanction it may impose under the Broadcasting Ordinance” after ATV failed to produce news programmes, pay fees and penalties and comply with the residence requirement of the board of directors.
An authority spokesman said ATV’s situation had placed the Communications Authority in a dilemma, but action had to be taken. Otherwise it “would send a wrong message to the broadcasting sector that a beleaguered and cash-strapped licensee would be given a carte blanche to contravene the Broadcasting Ordinance and licence conditions ... with little consequence. This is totally unacceptable from a regulatory perspective.”
After a special meeting on Monday, the authority said even though the official decision had been made not to renew ATV’s licence after it expires on April 1, the station was still required to meet the licensing terms until then.
ATV had committed the most serious offences under the Broadcasting Ordinance, it said.