World’s first Chinese-language TV station goes off-air in 2016 – SCMP archive

People taking a picture outside the ATV Headquarters in Tai Po on April 1, 2016.

Photo: David Wong This article was first published on April 2, 2016. by Eddie Lee It was finally curtains for Asia Television last night (April 1, 2016) after a couple of near-shutdowns last month and one dramatic twist after another to the embattled station’s chequered final episode.

Just before the stroke of midnight, the cash-strapped broadcaster pulled the plug after airing a re-run of one of its trademark Miss Asia beauty pageants.

The only fresh programmes on air yesterday were the 6pm Chinese news and the late newscast at 10.30pm.

Whether ATV, deprived of its licence, can continue to operate in other forms remains unknown.

At issue is whether ATV’s major creditor Wong Ching, who is winding up the company to recoup his losses after an incomplete deal to sell a controlling stake to mainland investor Si Rongbin, will withdraw his petition in the High Court.

In the final hours yesterday, Si’s China Culture Media was still refusing to call it quits, even though the self-proclaimed saviour of ATV could not pay two months’ wages owed to staff.

The station’s main investor said it intended to keep ATV’s brand name alive through internet and satellite transmission services, with a view to transforming the company from a broadcaster into a multi-platform content provider after its local free-to-air licence expired yesterday. “We have proposed a feasible development plan,” said Jan He, Si’s representative, at ATV’s Tai Po headquarters, hours before the station’s 59 years of broadcasting history came to an end.

But she said ATV’s court-appointed provisional liquidator, Deloitte, which is acting on Wong’s behalf, had rejected the proposal, without specifying if any reasons were given.

Si’s representative maintained the investor group could secure enough money to fund ATV’s future development.

While claiming China CultureMedia had set aside money for ATV’s further operations, she declined to say what was being done about outstanding salaries for January and February.

The Labour Department said about 400 former ATV staff had applied for compensation through an official fund.

ATV was the world’s first Chinese-language TV station when it went on air in 1957.

Photo: David Wong The company officially kept the final moments low-key yesterday, but former staff and artistes held private gatherings to mark its demise.

Outside ATV’s Tai Po headquarters, fans, well-wishers and curi

原文链接: 南华早报