Over the last many years, the Hong Kong television industry had been dominated by TVB until yesterday, the Communications Authority (CA) announced TVB violated several anti-competition clauses (detailed article). The CA pointed out when TVB artists has TV series broadcasting on other television stations, the contract prohibits them from participating in the promotions and the artists cannot speak Cantonese when interviewed by other TV stations. Part time artists and singers can only perform on TVB.
After the news came out, many artists came forward to express their views. As the TV King and long time TVB artist,
Wayne Lai felt there is no reason to work for other TV stations when you have a contract: "Not allowed to speak Cantonese during interviews on other TV stations, that is logicial too. After all, it is an entertainment program, shouldn't be helping other stations. I don't think that's monopoly. The DJ at the radio station can't be working elsewhere either! (Mainland dramas aired in Hong Kong has to be dubbed?) That is to accommodate the Mainland market, back in Hong Kong will have to be dubbed. If you want to hear my voice, then you got to watch TVB!" As for Taiwanese artists, they have a lot more freedom, Wayne believed there is a cultural difference between HK and Taiwan. The way the HK television industry operates is already a historical culture.
Eric Tsang, who has friendly relations with TVB, expressed this is a 2009 incident, and its way overdue to take action now. "I heard TVB will be taking action as well. As an artist, my perspective is many things have changed in the past few years. We cannot speak Cantonese in interviews, singers cannot go on other TV stations, that's been changed too."
Ada Choi still has a per-series contract with TVB, she believed an artist must respect the spirit of contracts. "After so many years, I'm used to this style. Since I have a TVB contract, then I shouldn't be performing on other TV stations, that's normal. At the present time, we cannot directly compare to Taiwan, Hong Kong is very small place, also there is a conflict of interest." Ada thought its good to make adjustments because it would be good for the audience to be able to hear artists speak Cantonese outside of TVB.
Joey Yung's Mandarin Improved, Thanks to TVB Joey Yung believed artists can not only appear on other television platforms, but also have many other channels for publicity. As for TVB getting fined for dominating the market? She said: "ATV must add oil, other stations should work hard too! Monopoly, this isn't the first day this topic came up, but in the past year TVB produced many good programmes. We're all doing better, but don't let people think you're trying to dominate and be tyrannical, then you're fine! I don't really watch ATV, but they do have good programmes in the evening, not bad at all!" As for the Cantonese issue, she believed doing interviews in Cantonese is a good thing and because Cantonese is her native language, she's able to better express her thoughts and its a close feeling. She said: "Removing this clause will give artists more freedom. Sometimes in the mornings, my brain blanks out and I really can't think of speaking Mandarin. If I could speak Cantonese, that would be a lot more convenient! In the future, if I can speak Cantonese then I will do it, then I don't have to worry about whether to speak Cantonese or Mandarin in interviews. Actually, its not a big deal, the most important is to have a verdict. I will follow with whatever it is." But, Joey feels in the past 10+ years if she didn't speak Mandarin during interviews, she wouldn't have improved so much on that language.
Sammul Chan: Artists' Value Should Be Determined by Market On the contrary, when Sammul Chan learned about this incident, he directly said "quite pleased". He believed, "finally someone took the first step to address this issue." Back then, Sammul and TVB got into a dispute during the contract renewal discussion, he was displeased by the low salary and that he couldn't go on other TV stations. Today, Sammul's development in Mainland has been going smoothly, he expressed he enjoys the freedom. When speaking of the injustice he faced in the past? He sighed: "The contract was unfair. My unhappiness negatively impacted my performance. At the time, I really had emotional problems! I know many artists' work hours and salaries are not directly proportional, some people can't even get minimum wage, but for the chance to appear on camera, they have to sign the contract helplessly. (You believe you have to get your justice back?) I'm not upset. My advice to new artists is to look carefully before signing the contract." He hopes artists can go on different TV stations and believed the aspirations of the television industry should be bigger: "Nowadays the life in HK showbiz is strange, the value of artists should be determined by the market, but having TVB decide who to promote, does this mean that person will guaranteed high TV ratings? Singers won't sing off-key/tune? As for not being able to speak Cantonese, that is very strange! A Hong Kong person cannot speak Cantonese?!"
Nancy Sit: "Indeed I'm not used to having to speak Mandarin during interviews and its more convenient to speak Cantonese, but I respect the contract and will see how it goes. I don't mind speaking Mandarin, just do whatever, I don't mind!"
Cilla Lok: "I'm a TVB person, but I can still accept interviews from other medias. My blood is TVB's blood, TVB is considered my mother, I don't think its difficult at all!"
Alan Tam believed its best to speak Cantonese on TV stations, just like its logical to speak Mandarin on China TV programs. He knows which is a Cantonese or Mandarin market. He said: "I suggest each TV station to cultivate talented individuals because when a TV station has value, naturally people will want to go on it. The most important is to strive to be stronger."
Source: Oriental Daily, Mingpao
Translated by: aZnangel @
AsianEU Forum
