Ordinary Gweilo

Last year I pointed out that TVB were not providing an English language commentary for the Rugby Sevens on Jade HD, even though there is an dual language option.

Well, it was exactly the same again this year – if you wanted English commentary you had to watch Pearl with its grainy pictures.  Well done, those people.

Well, what did we expect when the government gave away the digital spectrum to TVB and ATV?

Last week ATV announced that they are going to ditch most of the new digital channels they launched last year (His TV, Her TV and Plus TV).  Yes, these are the channels that went off air from 8-10 pm each evening (when the HD channel was broadcasting). 

Although they did have some English language programs (quite a few documentaries on Plus TV and football and tennis on His TV), the SCMP doesn't bother with listings for any of the digital-only channels and ATV doesn't have English information on its website either, so you are unlikely to know anything about these channels.   

ATV's new service will include a channel from Taiwan, the CCTV channel they already have, and (if I've understood it correctly) the HD channel is going to be on air 24 hours a day, but with only a few hours of HD and the rest of time devoted to their news channel.

Sounds enthralling.