Hong Kong television program quality, production and content have fallen to a new low.
I have been in the Asian television industry for over 45 years and am one of the TV executives recruited from overseas to help startup TVB in mid 1967 and therefore am in a position to express my dismay in the declining TV standards. All television channels in Asia were started by the country's government (the rare exception was Hong Kong that was started by a group of socially responsible private shareholders) which explains why we had lots of 'socially responsible' TV content in the early days in Asian television.
Television is suppose 'to educate' (education), 'to inform' (news and documentary) and 'to entertain' (music, movies, drama and sports). Over time TV turned to 'edutainment' (education + entertainment) and 'infotainment' (inform + entertainment) programming by adding some elements of entertainment to educational and informative programs. Unfortunately many programs are increasing being replaced by disgusting 'tasteless' and 'degrading' content known as 'degratainment' (degrade + entertainment).
For sex, TV Censorship line can be clearly defined - eg. the line for 'sex' censorship is very clear - no naked body, no private parts, etc but when it comes to 'culture attitude', 'decency' and 'taste' there is no line to define what can and cannot be shown. How do we define what is acceptable 'social behaviors', 'rudeness', 'disrespect to elders', 'tasteless and over-exposed dressing', 'tasteless games and behavior', etc?
Currently our local free-to-air TV features lots of disgusting and degrading TV programs' content that is damaging the fabric of our society. The young and old alike are influenced by these disgusting shows. Can we allow them to continue producing such degrading shows? Is it not the Broadcasters' responsibility to recruit decent and well mannered hosts rather than rude hosts and personalities to play / perform disgusting acts? Some acts are so disgusting that it embarrasses us (as Chinese) to be associated with such degrading work. Why do we allow our culture and social values fall to this low?
RTHK produces good socially responsible programs that viewers benefit but not in the case of ATV and TVB where there are very few positive content programs. Instead the public learn to be rude, use foul language, be selfish, be more open with sex and not to be shy about exposing their bodies, nothing wrong to act like a fool just like their idols / personalities who behaved and do incredibly stupid and degrading things on TV.
The broadcasters are to be blamed for the disgusting programs they produce and not the talents because it is the producers who determine how the talents/hosts should act or behave. Talents act stupidly and disgustingly in such shows because the scripts or format of the show require such disgusting behavior from them.
Broadcasters would say that they are only producing the kind of programs the Hong Kong viewers want to see. But I would ask them that if their own children like to eat a lot of chocolates, sweets and junk food, would they feed them all those junks food just because they want them? Would they produce those programs if they know that it will only be watched exclusively by their own children? Just because the viewers are not their children, they will continue to feed them with however bad programs they want knowingly that they are bad for them - all because it will ensure them better TV rating and revenue. It is much cheaper to produce such degratainment shows. What do they not be creative and produce good 'edu/infotainment shows instead of all those rubbish? For most broadcasters 'financial benefit' comes ahead of 'social responsibility' and that is the major cause for the fallen standard of today's television. It is time that we the responsible citizens and especially parents do something about it!
More than 40 years ago, I created a nightly 'live' variety TV show.. It was intended to provide happiness and enjoyment to those who worked so hard during the day. (Everyone in HK had to work very hard during 60's and 70's). This program ¡§Enjoy Yourself Tonight (EYT)¡¨ became very successful and gave almost everyone in Hong Kong an unforgettable memory of joy to have spent most of their evenings with EYT. I did not realize the impact EYT had in the HK society during those early years when I was producing EYT. That it had brought so much happiness and memories to the people in HK. To this day I often have strangers and friends thanking me for having brought them nightly enjoyment in EYT in their childhood days.
Recently, I have revolutionized TV industry by creating the world's first 'cross-media' interactive TV platform that converge Internet and Mobile Phone with TV. It is the world's first TV station that operate a 24 hours 7 days (24/7) 'cross-media' interactive TV channel that integrates Internet (webcam, messaging) and Mobile Phone to its TV programs (exclusively 'socially responsible content'). This is the way forward for TV and is definitely the future and I am proud Hong Kong is leading the world in this. Our 'cross-media' interactive TV technology won an Award in Cannes for the ¡§Best International Enhanced Interactive Award¡¨ in 2006. With this new technology we started a Health & Lifestyle Channel (HLC) in partnership with the second largest China State-owned Media Group.
HLC will be broadcast in Mandarin to China (covering all Asia) to promote 'preventive health care' and 'healthy lifestyle' with the aim to contribute to building a 'healthy population' and a 'strong healthy workforce' that targets to contribute to a prosperous China. Maintaining a good physical health and a healthy lifestyle will produce a strong healthy workforce which would be in the interest of any Government. It also help lower China's national annual Health Care Budget. The cost for 'preventative care' is far less than for 'after care'. The work on 'Preventive Care' will not cost the Government a cent because it is the people who will pay for the daily food they consume based on what are introduced by HLC to stay healthy. HLC will encourage our citizens to be health conscious, culturally minded and lead a healthy lifestyle. It will discourage the taking of drugs, smoking while heavily promoting eating unhealthy food, etc and to be mindful of the need of good etiquette and appreciation of our Chinese culture.
HLC is now ready to launch in Asia targeting China via satellite along with the Internet, I am currently looking for socially minded strategic partner(s) who would regard 'social responsibility' to be much more important than just 'making money' without any social contribution.. To be socially responsible and maintain healthy image, HLC will not promote or accept certain commercials such as 'fur' products and 'sharks fin'¡Ketc. However, what makes HLC unique and standout from other broadcasters is that it will have a team of professional consultants to advise and help set up a standard to identify and evaluate authentic health products so that HLC can maintain a high standard and credibility for the channel. Maintaining such high standards with 'social responsibility' in mind, a constant flow of good program with health content (mental and physical) will be able to go to every Chinese household in the very near future.
To stem the flow of 'degratainment' programs and to ensure TV channels produce quality 'socially responsible' programs I would suggest all viewers punish the Advertisers by boycotting their products for polluting our children's and degrading our social values. Only by boycotting sponsors' products can we force the Advertisers and TV channels to produce 'socially responsible' programs and for good socially responsible Advertisers to restraint themselves from advertising in such degrading programs.
I hope a very socially responsible HLC will become a good example for all TV broadcasters to follow in the near future.