Ordinary Gweilo

I was rather surprised to read about the plans that ATV and TVB have for digital TV (from The Standard):

Television Broadcasts and Asia Television, Hong Kong’s terrestrial TV operators, have pledged to invest at least a further HK$400 million each to roll out high-definition television (HDTV) services in the city by the end of 2007.

Both are required under their broadcasting licenses to begin HDTV services by 2007, a Broadcasting Authority spokeswoman said Monday. The government body has approved the companies’ plans for HDTV, in which each has committed to spend a further HK$400 million by 2009, she said.

Isn’t there an opportunity here for the government to auction the available frequencies to the highest bidders rather than just giving it to the dullards who are already boring the population with their dreary programs?  It doesn’t sound promising, as the SCMP reports:

ATV proposes to launch four new, standard resolution channels providing programmes on show business, culture, trade news, finance and shopping information. The broadcaster also aims to provide 14 hours of prime time HDTV programming per week.

Yawn, yawn.  Rubbish doesn’t get any appealing because it’s broadcast in high definition.