Ricky Wong and HKTV must play by the rules
Robert Chua backs the decision requiring HKTV to comply with mobile TV licensing regulations, as no business can run on passion alone
Why do some people believe Ricky Wong Wai-kay's failure to get a free-to-air television licence and the derailment of his mobile TV ambitions are politically motivated and that the government is trying to thwart Hong Kong Television Network?
Such people should first look at the facts and the Communications Authority's rules and regulations, rather than making emotional comments based solely on Wong's passion and seemingly large funds.
Wong deserves credit for revolutionising the Hong Kong telecoms industry. Unfortunately, this time he is merely disrupting the TV industry - by breaking rules to try to achieve his goal.
Under its carrier licence, a mobile TV operator can provide coverage at moving locations, not to "households" or at "specified premises". HKTV feels it has the right to change the rules and use set-top boxes to allow households to watch mobile TV programmes at home, thus avoiding the tight regulations to which free-to-air TV is subject.
It is interesting to read Office of the Communications Authority's minutes of its meeting with HKTV on January 24 that clearly confirmed Wong was aware of the possible breach. The watchdog said Wong would need a free-to-air or pay TV licence if his mobile service was made available to more than 5,000 households.
So why did he give the impression he was taken by surprise? Why did he not inform his shareholders as soon as he knew about the possible breach? Did such a delay violate the listing rules? Clearly, this would have affected the price of HKTV shares, following the announcement of its acquisition of China Mobile Hong Kong's unified carrier licence.
