Asia Television

This article is about over-the-top service provider and former TV channel in Hong Kong. For the Iraqi TV channel, see Asia Network Television. For the history of Asia Television before 1982, see Rediffusion Television.

Asia Television
Native name
亞洲電視有限公司
Company typeLimited company
IndustryInternet-based media
PredecessorRediffusion Television
Founded29 May 1957 (1957-05-29) (as Rediffusion Television)
24 September 1982 (1982-09-24) (as ATV, TV broadcaster)
Revived in 2019 into APP (as ATV, OTT service provider)
Headquarters33 Dai Shing Street,
Tai Po Industrial Estate,
Tai Po, Hong Kong
Key people
Lai Chai Suang (main investor)
Ip WP Leong (executive director), Andy Yong (non-executive director)
OwnerAsia Television Holdings Ltd.[1][2]
Websitewww.hkatv.com
Asia Television
Traditional Chinese亞洲電視
Simplified Chinese亚洲电视
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinYàzhōu Diànshì
Yue: Cantonese
JyutpingAa3zau1 Din6si6
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese亞視
Simplified Chinese亚视
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinYàshì
Yue: Cantonese
JyutpingAa3si6

Asia Television Limited (Chinese: 亞洲電視有限公司, also known as ATV) is a digital media and broadcasting company in Hong Kong. Established as the first television service in Hong Kong as Rediffusion Television (Chinese: 麗的電視/麗的呼聲) on 29 May 1957, it shifted to terrestrial television on 30 November 1973 and was renamed Asia Television on 24 September 1982. ATV operated two main over-the-air channels: the Cantonese-language ATV Home and the English-language ATV World.

Despite its relatively small market share, ATV received numerous awards for its programmes. One of its successes was the local version of the British game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in 2001, which allowed ATV to enjoy a short-term upturn in its viewing figures. After 2000, ATV faced a gradual decline in production quality and viewership, as well as financial difficulties—a process hastened under the leadership of Wang Zheng. ATV's credibility was severely damaged in 2011 after its news department had falsely reported that Jiang Zemin had died.[3]

On 1 April 2015, Hong Kong's Executive Council announced that ATV's broadcast license would not be renewed. ATV's channels ceased over-the-air transmission on 1 April 2016.[4] ATV announced that it planned to continue its business as a digital and satellite broadcaster.[5] Plans for the company's subscription-based internet content streaming operations were announced in December 2017.[1]

  1. ^ a b "ATV to return with launch of digital media platform". Hong Kong Economic Journal. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  2. ^ 【改名轉運】亞視上市喇喂!. Apple Daily (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 14 February 2018. Archived from the original on 16 October 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  3. ^ Chow, Vivienne; Nip, Amy; Cheung, Tony (1 April 2015). "Exco troubled broadcaster ATV's application to renew free-to-air licence". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  4. ^ "Countdown to final ATV show begins as former stars share feelings on station's demise". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  5. ^ Mystery investor in talks to save off-air Hong Kong broadcaster ATV Archived 21 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine, South China Morning Post, 13 April 2016