免費電視發新牌 節目質素定成敗

千呼萬喚之下，港府終於決定發出兩個新免費電視牌照，中選者最快可望在未來一年投入營運。雖然市場競爭者倍增，標誌免費電視將進入汰弱留強的戰國時代，但能不能打破多年來一台獨大、慣性收視的局面，關鍵還是取決於節目質素。

今次獲發牌照的兩間承辦商，分別是有線寬頻的奇妙電視，以及電訊盈科的香港電視娛樂，至於早已斥下巨資招攬製作人員的香港電視則告落選。有人質疑當局的決定涉及政治因素，而港府官員則引述顧問公司報告指，目前免費電視市場難以容納五個承辦商，故此採取循序漸進方式發出牌照，不排除日後視乎市場情況，再引入新承辦商云云。當局語焉不詳，始終未有詳細交代發牌準則，難免授人以柄，惹人非議。

無論如何，免費電視開放已成定局，當局引入競爭，打破壟斷，自然是市民所喜聞樂。但必須知道，開放不等於有助提高節目質素，只怕過猶不及，濫發牌照可能引發惡性循環，電視台為吸引觀眾，不惜譁眾取寵，導致電視節目惡質化。近年台灣大量增發牌照，電視台遍地開花，導致亂象叢生，就是放任自流、惡性競爭種下的惡果。

Programme quality will decide if the issue of new free-TV licences is a success

After a thousand entreaties, the Hong Kong Government eventually decided to issue 2 new free-to-air television (free-TV) licences. It is expected that the new licensees will be able to start operating in as soon as one year. The number of competitors will double and the free-TV market will enter the “Warring States” wherein only the fittest would survive. But it is still unknown if a new prospect will be opened up, since one TV station has been monopolizing for years and the audience has already adopted a habitual viewing mode. The crux of the change indeed lies with programme quality.

The two licence awardees are i-Cable’s Fantastic Television and PCCW’s HK Television Entertainment Company. Despite its early and huge investment in recruiting production crew, Hong Kong Television Network failed in the bid. While some queried if the Administration’s decision was a political one, government officials quoted a consultancy report and said the present free-TV market would find it hard to accommodate 5 players. Therefore, the number of issued licences would be increased in a gradual and orderly manner, and new players would be introduced if the market situation calls for it. By giving such brief, sketchy explanation and failing to provide a detailed account of licensing criteria, the Government all but invites criticisms.

Nevertheless, the opening of the free-TV market is now a foregone conclusion. The public naturally welcomes the Government’s introduction of competition so that monopolization in the market may end. However, it must be noted that liberalization is not equivalent to raising programme quality. Sometimes going too far is as bad as not going far enough. The indiscriminate granting of licences may trigger vicious competitions and TV stations may try to please the public with claptrap, resulting in a deterioration of programme quality. In recent years, Taiwan has been issuing too many TV licences and just let things drift. As a result, TV stations mushroom and the market becomes very messy under vicious competitions.

重要生字

a thousand entreaties 千呼萬喚

in a gradual and orderly manner 循序漸進

try to please the public with claptrap 譁眾取寵

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