Mainland China’s People’s Daily praises Hong Kong’s Asia Television – and says goodbye
Analyst says Beijing may have tired of the broadcaster after it erroneously reported Jiang Zemin’s death
Asia Television has landed itself a prominent spot in a mainland government mouthpiece, which bid farewell to the beleaguered TV station just a day before a Hong Kong court is set to decide its fate.
People’s Daily ran an opinion piece yesterday about the ailing broadcaster on its third page, saying that “under today’s difficult circumstances, it is hard for ATV, which has offered [audiences] countless classics, to return to its former glory. Perhaps it’s time to say goodbye”.
READ MORE: Court order saves ATV staff from sack
The article, however, also praised ATV’s achievements over the past 59 years even though mainland audiences are more familiar with arch rival TVB.
“Like its rival, ATV wrote a glorious chapter for Hong Kong showbiz,” the newspaper wrote, citing the success of the Miss Asia Pageant and classic dramas such as kung fu series Legendary Fok, first aired in 1981 and the first Hong Kong TV series to be imported to the mainland.
It added that a string of shareholder changes, disputes among owners and the reality that it was “cash-strapped” sent ATV to its demise.
High Court judge Mr Justice Jonathan Harris will today decide whether court-appointed provisional liquidator Deloitte can go ahead to shut down ATV and sack all staff.
Critics said while the article could be seen as a “graceful exit” for the world’s first Chinese-language TV station, it also meant that ATV had lost Beijing’s blessing.
