TVB Pearl
Encyclopedia
TVB Pearl is one of the two free television services in Hong Kong
that mainly broadcast in the English language
, the other being ATV World
. It is owned and operated by Television Broadcasts Limited
, and together with its sister Cantonese language
station TVB Jade
, is broadcast from TVB City
at 77 Chun Choi Street in Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate
in Tseung Kwan O
, in the Sai Kung District
, which is in the Eastern region of Hong Kong's New Territories
.
Apart from the use of English rather than Cantonese, TVB Pearl's daytime output differs from TVB Jade's in providing more serious programming, such as documentaries and news, and during peak viewing time it is much more reliant on overseas-made TV series and films. Occasionally, TVB Pearl also shows programmes in other languages (but usually well outside peak viewing time), including Mandarin, Japanese
and Korean
(see #Non-English programmes).
Established on 19 November 1967, TVB Pearl broadcasts free of charge to over 2.1 million households in Hong Kong. The channel is operated by Television Broadcasts Limited
or TVB, along with its sister channel TVB Jade
.
In 1991, TVB Pearl began to broadcast in NICAM
, a digital audio
modulation system that provides a facility for stereo or bilingual or trilingual audio transmission. (For the digital counterpart, multiple AC-3 streams are transmitted for the same purpose.) With a compatible television
, the viewer can receive audio in their choice of language; typically, English and Cantonese. Chinese subtitles are available on most programmes after 6:20pm.
.
will be played, followed by the morning prayer and station ident. The first programme of the day follows thereafter.
. Stations ident (TVB/TVB Pearl) and the test card was broadcast at the end.
In the closing (offair) time TVB Pearl is broadcasting a test card
complete with date to time and with the text "TVB PEARL - HONG KONG".
is carried on TVB Pearl live at 7:30am, and is currently the only American network news carried on TVB Pearl after the CBS Evening News
had disappeared from ATV's
schedule. Because NBC Nightly News usually required three commercial breaks, only the first commercial is aired with promos from TVB. When the newscast is on a subsequent break in the United States, TVB Pearl would replace them with financial information from Thomson Reuters until the end of the break.
in 2001. While most drama programmes air over four nights (Monday-Thursdays), Weekend Blockbuster generally airs on Fridays and over the weekend.
, and horror movies are shown at Halloween
.
Other programmes broadcast include:
TVB Pearl started producing a new programme known as "Dolce Vita" from the spring of 2006. Dolce Vita is a topical lifestyle magazine programme that focuses on current events in Hong Kong, including new restaurants and interviews with visiting English-speaking celebrities.
As a free TV broadcasting channel, TVB Pearl is important in introducing drama produced outside Hong Kong to the populace. This includes such award-winning drama series as Lost
, Without A Trace
, Nip/Tuck
, The O.C.
, 24
, Las Vegas
, and Medium
. The success of these shows prompted the production of Hong Kong versions of ER (Healing Hands
), Desperate Housewives (La Femme Desperado
) and Sex and the City (20/30 Dictionary). Moreover, the ratings on the debut of the Japanese Drama Mother at 14
have been the highest ratings recorded for drama on the channel in the last 20 years.
Since the Hong Kong government
does not have its own television station, its agency Radio Television Hong Kong
(RTHK) requires the two domestic free television stations to broadcast their programmes and advertisements. One of the most well known programmes is Educational Television
(ETV) which began in 1971. This follows the Hong Kong education syllabus, serving as a reference for primary and secondary school students of mathematics
, the English language
, Putonghua, and other school subjects. During the thirty-two week school year, ETV programmes are shown on ATV World from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. midday and on TVB Pearl from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. each weekday.
Other programmes produced by RTHK are broadcast on TVB Pearl on a weekly basis. These programmes are mainly documentaries covering politics and social issues, such as A Week in Politics and Hong Kong Connection.
and Cantonese.
, The Standard, The Manila Times, Manila Bulletin
, Philippine Daily Inquirer
, The Philippine Star
and Manila Standard Today
and in other daily Hong Kong
and Philippine newspapers, including Chinese newspapers.
TVB Pearl operates its own official homepage which contains information about the programmes shown by the channel. In addition to schedules, this includes featured special collections, highlights of some movies, and "editor's choice".
A discussion area called Pearl Club, where audience members may post their opinions about the programs of TVB Pearl, is also available; membership is free. Viewers can also register to receive programme information via email, through the "Pearl e-alert" service.
(ABC), to provide a broadcast of ABC AP Australian National news every morning after midnight on TVB Pearl. According to the ABC AP Chief Executive, John Doherty, the association between these two channels can offer a rich and diversified quality programming relevant to Hong Kong and the Asia Pacific region. TVB Pearl also includes a block of ABC AP programmes entitled Good Day from ABC Asia Pacific, intended to help viewers refine their English language skills, every Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:40 p.m.. According to David O'Leary, Australian Consul-General in Hong Kong, the ABC AP programmes shown on TVB Pearl would be well received by the Australians working and living in Hong Kong and on the other hand help promote both Australian culture and the use of the English language to Hong Kong people. Now, in Hong Kong, ABC Asia Pacific also live on Cable TV
, Now Broadband TV and HKBN Digital TV
24 hours a day.This partnership ended on 17 June 2006.
high definition. On 18 March 2007, test simulcasts for 1080i
commenced in Manila and Singapore markets, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Bangkok followed on 24 June 2007, with Hanoi
following on 25 June 2007, and Hong Kong on 31 December 2007. Prior to this, the HK-TVB Pearl Network provided a 480i
4:3 analog
standard-definition
broadcast.
, Kowloon Peak
, Tai Mo Shan
, and Lamma Island
, and two repeater
s at Tsuen Wan
and Tsing Yi
. The Tsuen Wan repeater started service on 22 August 2003, and the Tsing Yi repeater started on 18 September 2003. The repeaters were built to enhance reception of TVB Pearl.
(CPC). However, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has its own English Common Law system and is largely self-governing, so the censorship policy is not implemented in Hong Kong.
Province by Southern Television (南方電視臺), the state-owned and operated television network in the Province. Due to the media censorship in China
, TVB Pearl is not always available in some parts of the Province. For example, in some cities (like Shaoguan
), during those times that the scheduled programme's nature is deemed to be "sensitive”, the local TV provider replaces the programme with pre-taped videos (such as on STD
/AIDS
Prevention).
by Guangzhou Television (廣州電視臺, GZTV), the state-owned & operated TV network in Guangzhou. In addition to using advertising to replace censored Hong Kong programmes, GZTV also broadcasts adverts during the hours that TVB Pearl is off the air.
, Amnesty International
Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Journalists Association
Meanwhile, 2008 Olympic Image was awarded the Bronze Medal (Station and Image Production) in the New York Festivals.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
that mainly broadcast in the English language
Hong Kong English
Hong Kong English may refer to two different yet interrelated concepts. The first concept refers to the variation or dialect of the English language used in Hong Kong. The second concept refers to the accent and elements as a result of its use by Cantonese speakers.For the first meaning, Hong Kong...
, the other being ATV World
ATV World
ATV World , is one of the free-to-air English language television channels in Hong Kong, the other being its arch-rival TVB Pearl. Its sister station, ATV Home, broadcasts in Cantonese language...
. It is owned and operated by Television Broadcasts Limited
Television Broadcasts Limited
Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, is the second over-the-air commercial television station in Hong Kong. It commenced broadcasting on 19 November 1967...
, and together with its sister Cantonese language
Hong Kong Cantonese
Hong Kong Cantonese is a form of Yue Chinese commonly spoken in Hong Kong. Although Hongkongers largely identify this variant of Chinese with the term "Cantonese" , a variety of publications in mainland China describe the variant as Hong Kong speech...
station TVB Jade
TVB Jade
TVB Jade is a flagship TV channel in Hong Kong, established by Television Broadcasts Limited, and is one of the free-to-air Cantonese language television channels in Hong Kong, the other being its arch-rival ATV Home...
, is broadcast from TVB City
TVB City
TVB City , is the headquarters of Television Broadcasts Limited, located at 77 Chun Choi Street in the Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate, near to Shaw Studios. TVB is by far the biggest tenant of the estate and the first service-providing company in there.The city officially opened on January 1, 2005...
at 77 Chun Choi Street in Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate
Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate
Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate is located in the southeast of the Tsueng Kwan O New Town, Sai Kung District in Hong Kong.-Location:...
in Tseung Kwan O
Tseung Kwan O
Tseung Kwan O is a bay in Sai Kung District, New Territories, Hong Kong. In the northern tip of the bay lies the Tseung Kwan O Village....
, in the Sai Kung District
Sai Kung District
Sai Kung District is the second largest district in Hong Kong in terms of area. It comprises the southern half of Sai Kung Peninsula and Clear Water Bay Peninsula in the New Territories plus a strip to the east of Kowloon. The administrative centre is Sai Kung Town but the district's population is...
, which is in the Eastern region of Hong Kong's New Territories
New Territories
New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory...
.
Apart from the use of English rather than Cantonese, TVB Pearl's daytime output differs from TVB Jade's in providing more serious programming, such as documentaries and news, and during peak viewing time it is much more reliant on overseas-made TV series and films. Occasionally, TVB Pearl also shows programmes in other languages (but usually well outside peak viewing time), including Mandarin, Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
and Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
(see #Non-English programmes).
Established on 19 November 1967, TVB Pearl broadcasts free of charge to over 2.1 million households in Hong Kong. The channel is operated by Television Broadcasts Limited
Television Broadcasts Limited
Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, is the second over-the-air commercial television station in Hong Kong. It commenced broadcasting on 19 November 1967...
or TVB, along with its sister channel TVB Jade
TVB Jade
TVB Jade is a flagship TV channel in Hong Kong, established by Television Broadcasts Limited, and is one of the free-to-air Cantonese language television channels in Hong Kong, the other being its arch-rival ATV Home...
.
In 1991, TVB Pearl began to broadcast in NICAM
NICAM
Near Instantaneous Companded Audio Multiplex is an early form of lossy compression for digital audio. It was originally developed in the early 1970s for point-to-point links within broadcasting networks...
, a digital audio
Digital audio
Digital audio is sound reproduction using pulse-code modulation and digital signals. Digital audio systems include analog-to-digital conversion , digital-to-analog conversion , digital storage, processing and transmission components...
modulation system that provides a facility for stereo or bilingual or trilingual audio transmission. (For the digital counterpart, multiple AC-3 streams are transmitted for the same purpose.) With a compatible television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, the viewer can receive audio in their choice of language; typically, English and Cantonese. Chinese subtitles are available on most programmes after 6:20pm.
Transmission hours
Transmission hours are from 6:00 am to 2:30 am in daily a day and public holidays from 10:00 am to between 2:30 am under same time daily it plays the national anthemMarch of the Volunteers
March of the Volunteers is the national anthem of the People's Republic of China , written by the noted poet and playwright Tian Han with music composed by Nie Er. This composition is a musical march...
.
Start-up
HK-TVB Pearl Network starts at 6:00 a.m. The national anthemMarch of the Volunteers
March of the Volunteers is the national anthem of the People's Republic of China , written by the noted poet and playwright Tian Han with music composed by Nie Er. This composition is a musical march...
will be played, followed by the morning prayer and station ident. The first programme of the day follows thereafter.
Closedown
HK-TVB Pearl Network closes down at 2:30 a.m. The last programme will be broadcast, followed by the national anthemMarch of the Volunteers
March of the Volunteers is the national anthem of the People's Republic of China , written by the noted poet and playwright Tian Han with music composed by Nie Er. This composition is a musical march...
. Stations ident (TVB/TVB Pearl) and the test card was broadcast at the end.
In the closing (offair) time TVB Pearl is broadcasting a test card
Philips PM5544
The Philips PM5544 is a television pattern generator, most commonly used to provide a television station with a complex test card commonly referred to as a Philips Pattern or PTV Circle. The content and layout of the pattern was designed in the Philips TV laboratory in Copenhagen by chief engineer...
complete with date to time and with the text "TVB PEARL - HONG KONG".
Originals
- The Pearl ReportThe Pearl ReportThe Pearl Report is a public affairs programme aired on TVB Pearl since April 1, 1988.The show mainly deals with current affairs in Hong Kong, although often stories are produced abroad concerning wider regional issues...
- Money MagazineMoney MagazineMoney Magazine is a business news and financial programme that is broadcast on Sundays at 7:00pm in Hong Kong by television channel TVB Pearl.-Producers and reporters:...
- Dolce Vita
- An entertainment package which shows the latest fashion, dining, beauty, leisure, luxury, lifestyle, shopping and celebrities in Hong Kong. The hosts are usually well-established TVB actors and actresses, employed on long-term contracts.
- News at 7:30, News Headlines, News Roundup
- Those programmes are followed by Earth Live, which is produced by earthTVEarthTVEarth TV is a German satellite television network which airs live broadcasts of camera streams from places all around the world. The network features a mix of both personal and scenic cams. Personal cams are often chosen to be aired for unique contents or themes, and scenic cameras usually feature...
.- Sports Live
- Most live broadcasts of sports are shown on TVB Pearl, including NBA, Football, Olympic GamesOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
and others, with the channel providing its own English-language commentary.
Overseas-made programmes
- Desperate HousewivesDesperate HousewivesDesperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
- Without a TraceWithout a TraceWithout a Trace is an American television drama which originally ran on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. The series was set in New York City and concerned a fictitious FBI Missing Persons Unit.-Premise:...
- 3-2-1 Penguins!3-2-1 Penguins!3-2-1 Penguins! is a series of Sci-Fi computer-animated cartoons launched on November 14, 2000.3-2-1 Penguins! is a series of Sci-Fi computer-animated cartoons launched on November 14, 2000.3-2-1 Penguins! is a series of Sci-Fi computer-animated cartoons launched on...
- MediumMedium (TV series)Medium is an American television drama series that premiered on NBC on January 3, 2005, and ended on CBS on January 21, 2011. Themed on supernatural gifts, its lead character, Allison DuBois , is a medium employed as a consultant for the Phoenix, Arizona district attorney's office...
- DirtDirt (TV series)Dirt is an American television serial broadcast on the FX network. It premiered on January 2, 2007 and starred Courteney Cox as Lucy Spiller, the editor-in-chief of the first-of-its-kind "glossy tabloid" magazine DirtNow, which was previously two separate publications: drrt and Now Dirt (styled...
- HouseHouse (TV series)House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
- ERER (TV series)ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
- The West Wing
- Love HinaLove Hinais a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Ken Akamatsu. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine by Kodansha from October 21, 1998 to October 31, 2001 and was published in 14 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha. The series tells the story of Keitaro Urashima and his attempts to...
- Prison BreakPrison BreakPrison Break is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring, that was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company for four seasons, from 2005 until 2009. The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an...
- America's Next Top ModelAmerica's Next Top ModelAmerica's Next Top Model is a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry....
- Top Gear
- Naked ScienceNaked ScienceNaked Science is an American documentary television series that premiered in 2004 on the National Geographic Channel. The program features various subjects related to science and technology.-External links: ***...
- Ugly BettyUgly BettyUgly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which premiered on ABC on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series revolves around the character Betty Suarez and is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian telenovela soap opera Yo soy Betty, la fea...
- Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
- The Apprentice
- Las VegasLas Vegas (TV series)Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
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- Tru CallingTru CallingTru Calling is an American television supernatural drama series that premiered on Fox Network on October 30, 2003. It ran for two seasons before being canceled....
- Sesame StreetSesame StreetSesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
- American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
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- Firehouse TalesFirehouse TalesFirehouse Tales is an animated television series, produced by Warner Bros. Animation, which premiered on Cartoon Network's Tickle-U preschool television programming block in the United States on March 4, 2005...
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- StandoffStandoff (TV series)Standoff is an American drama series that premiered on the Fox network on September 5, 2006. Created by Craig Silverstein, the series focused on an FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit whose members negotiated hostage situations and shared relationships. The show was produced by 20th Century Fox Television...
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- Hannah Montana
- The Suite Life of Zack & Cody
- The Kidsongs TV ShowKidsongsKidsongs is an American award-winning children's media franchise which includes Kidsongs Music Video Stories on DVD and video, The Kidsongs TV Show, CDs of favorite children’s songs, song books, sheet music, toys and an ecommerce website...
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- Whole List of shows (In Chinese)
NBC Nightly News on TVB Pearl
As of June 2010, NBC Nightly NewsNBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
is carried on TVB Pearl live at 7:30am, and is currently the only American network news carried on TVB Pearl after the CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News is the flagship nightly television news program of the American television network CBS. The network has broadcast this program since 1948, and has used the CBS Evening News title since 1963....
had disappeared from ATV's
Asia Television Limited
Asia Television Limited is one of the two free-to-air television broadcasters in Hong Kong, the other being rival Television Broadcasts Limited . It launched in 1957 under the name Rediffusion Television as the first television station in Hong Kong...
schedule. Because NBC Nightly News usually required three commercial breaks, only the first commercial is aired with promos from TVB. When the newscast is on a subsequent break in the United States, TVB Pearl would replace them with financial information from Thomson Reuters until the end of the break.
Weekend Blockbuster and audience popularity
Movies are the most watched programmes on TVB Pearl. The title for movies was originally called Studio 930, but is replaced by Weekend Blockbuster. This is familiar to most Hong Kong viewers, according to ratings surveys conducted by ACNielsenACNielsen
ACNielsen is a global marketing research firm, with worldwide headquarters in New York City. Regional headquarters for North America are located in Schaumburg, Illinois. As of May 2010, it is part of The Nielsen Company.-History:...
in 2001. While most drama programmes air over four nights (Monday-Thursdays), Weekend Blockbuster generally airs on Fridays and over the weekend.
Themed programmes
The channel produces themed collections of programmes during some special occasions. For example, the collection Be My Valentine (featuring a series of love movies) is released a week before Valentine's DayValentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
, and horror movies are shown at Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
.
Other programmes broadcast include:
- mini-series
- documentaries
- informative
- musical
- drama
- entertainment
TVB Pearl started producing a new programme known as "Dolce Vita" from the spring of 2006. Dolce Vita is a topical lifestyle magazine programme that focuses on current events in Hong Kong, including new restaurants and interviews with visiting English-speaking celebrities.
As a free TV broadcasting channel, TVB Pearl is important in introducing drama produced outside Hong Kong to the populace. This includes such award-winning drama series as Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
, Without A Trace
Without a Trace
Without a Trace is an American television drama which originally ran on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. The series was set in New York City and concerned a fictitious FBI Missing Persons Unit.-Premise:...
, Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck is an American drama series created by Ryan Murphy, which aired on FX in the United States. The series focuses on McNamara/Troy, a plastic surgery practice, and follows its founders, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy...
, The O.C.
The O.C.
The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox television network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 21, 2007, running a total of four seasons...
, 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
, Las Vegas
Las Vegas (TV series)
Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
, and Medium
Medium (TV series)
Medium is an American television drama series that premiered on NBC on January 3, 2005, and ended on CBS on January 21, 2011. Themed on supernatural gifts, its lead character, Allison DuBois , is a medium employed as a consultant for the Phoenix, Arizona district attorney's office...
. The success of these shows prompted the production of Hong Kong versions of ER (Healing Hands
Healing Hands
Healing Hands is a 1998 Hong Kong medical drama series that ran on TVB Jade. It focuses on the lives and loves of the doctors and nurses at the fictional Yan Oi Hospital in Hong Kong. It is noted for its realism in depicting medical situations, thanks to the help of the Hong Kong Hospital...
), Desperate Housewives (La Femme Desperado
La Femme Desperado
La Femme Desperado is a TVB modern drama series broadcast in April 2006. The series contains many realistic elements relating to the life of a woman in today's modern society, particularly in Hong Kong. It is noted that this show is primarily based on the U.S...
) and Sex and the City (20/30 Dictionary). Moreover, the ratings on the debut of the Japanese Drama Mother at 14
14-sai no Haha: Aisuru tame ni Umaretekita
is a Japanese television drama broadcast on NTV. It was aired from October 11, 2006 until December 20 of the same year.-Plot:The drama concerns 14-year-old Miki Ichinose, who becomes pregnant with her boyfriend's child. After struggling with the fact that she is pregnant, she decides that she will...
have been the highest ratings recorded for drama on the channel in the last 20 years.
Since the Hong Kong government
Government of Hong Kong
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, commonly the Hong Kong Government, is led by the Chief Executive as Head of the Government, who is also the head of the Hong Kong SAR...
does not have its own television station, its agency Radio Television Hong Kong
Radio Television Hong Kong
Radio Television Hong Kong is a public broadcasting organisation in Hong Kong that is operated as an independent department in the government under the Broadcasting Authority. RTHK operates seven radio channels, and produces television programmes that are then broadcast through local television...
(RTHK) requires the two domestic free television stations to broadcast their programmes and advertisements. One of the most well known programmes is Educational Television
Educational Television (Hong Kong)
Educational Television , shortly known as ETV, is a series of educational television programmes jointly produced by Radio Television Hong Kong and the Education and Manpower Bureau of Hong Kong. ETV has been an auxiliary means for teaching the primary and secondary school curriculum on television...
(ETV) which began in 1971. This follows the Hong Kong education syllabus, serving as a reference for primary and secondary school students of mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Putonghua, and other school subjects. During the thirty-two week school year, ETV programmes are shown on ATV World from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. midday and on TVB Pearl from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. each weekday.
Other programmes produced by RTHK are broadcast on TVB Pearl on a weekly basis. These programmes are mainly documentaries covering politics and social issues, such as A Week in Politics and Hong Kong Connection.
Non-English programmes
Both ATV World and TVB Pearl are permitted by the Broadcasting Authority of Hong Kong to broadcast non-English programmes for up to 20% of their daily transmission time, outside peak viewing time. In fact, only 12% of TVB Pearl programmes are in languages other than English: 83.6% of those (10% of its total transmission time) are in Mandarin. The remainder include broadcasts in Japanese, Korean, FilipinoFilipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
and Cantonese.
Obtaining schedules
Schedules are published in the South China Morning PostSouth China Morning Post
The South China Morning Post , together with its Sunday edition, the Sunday Morning Post, is an English-language Hong Kong newspaper, published by the SCMP Group with a circulation of 104,000....
, The Standard, The Manila Times, Manila Bulletin
Manila Bulletin
The Manila Bulletin , is the Philippines' largest broadsheet newspaper by circulation, followed by the Philippine Daily Inquirer. It bills itself as "The Nation's Leading Newspaper", which is its official slogan...
, Philippine Daily Inquirer
Philippine Daily Inquirer
The Philippine Daily Inquirer, popularly known as the Inquirer, is the most widely read broadsheet newspaper in the Philippines, with a daily circulation of 260,000 copies. It is one of the Philippines' newspapers of record...
, The Philippine Star
The Philippine Star
The Philippine Star is a daily English-language broadsheet newspaper based in Manila and circulated nationwide in the Philippines. Owned and published by PhilSTAR Daily, Inc, it was founded on July 28, 1986 by veteran journalists Max Soliven, Betty Go-Belmonte and Art Borjal...
and Manila Standard Today
Manila Standard Today
The Manila Standard Today is the fourth-largest broadsheet newspaper in the Philippines as of 2006. Initially established as the Manila Standard, it merged with another newspaper of record, Today, on March 6, 2005...
and in other daily Hong Kong
Newspapers of Hong Kong
This is a list of newspapers in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is home to many of Asia's biggest English and Chinese language newspapers. The territory has one of the world's largest press industries and is a major centre for print journalism.-Popularity:...
and Philippine newspapers, including Chinese newspapers.
TVB Pearl operates its own official homepage which contains information about the programmes shown by the channel. In addition to schedules, this includes featured special collections, highlights of some movies, and "editor's choice".
A discussion area called Pearl Club, where audience members may post their opinions about the programs of TVB Pearl, is also available; membership is free. Viewers can also register to receive programme information via email, through the "Pearl e-alert" service.
Partnership with SCOLAR
Since the 2002/2003 academic year, TVB Pearl has been in partnership with SCOLAR (The Standing Committee on Language Education and Research) in a pilot project to promote language education in Hong Kong. TVB Pearl will continue to be one of the partner stations of SCOLAR in launching the "English in the Air 2003/04" project, aiming at promoting the learning and teaching of English through television programmes for secondary school students and teachers. Two teenage English television programmes entitled Road Scholars and Lizzie McGuire are to be broadcast on TVB Pearl in accordance with the project. English subtitles will be provided to facilitate the learning of English.Partnership with ABC Asia Pacific
Television Broadcast Limited cooperates with ABC Asia Pacific (ABC AP), whose service is managed by the Australian Broadcasting CorporationAustralian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
(ABC), to provide a broadcast of ABC AP Australian National news every morning after midnight on TVB Pearl. According to the ABC AP Chief Executive, John Doherty, the association between these two channels can offer a rich and diversified quality programming relevant to Hong Kong and the Asia Pacific region. TVB Pearl also includes a block of ABC AP programmes entitled Good Day from ABC Asia Pacific, intended to help viewers refine their English language skills, every Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:40 p.m.. According to David O'Leary, Australian Consul-General in Hong Kong, the ABC AP programmes shown on TVB Pearl would be well received by the Australians working and living in Hong Kong and on the other hand help promote both Australian culture and the use of the English language to Hong Kong people. Now, in Hong Kong, ABC Asia Pacific also live on Cable TV
Cable TV Hong Kong
Cable TV Hong Kong , previously known as Wharf Cable before October 1998, is owned and operated by i-CABLE Communications Limited...
, Now Broadband TV and HKBN Digital TV
Hong Kong Broadband Network
Hong Kong Broadband Network Established in 1999, Hong Kong Broadband Network Limited, the wholly owned subsidiary of City Telecom Limited, has been aggressive in developing its own network infrastructure with advanced technology to deliver various fixed telecom network services...
24 hours a day.This partnership ended on 17 June 2006.
Availability
TVB Pearl is simulcast in analogue and digital, standard definition and 1080i1080i
1080i is the shorthand name for a high-definition television mode. The i means interlaced video; 1080i differs from 1080p, in which the p stands for progressive scan. The term 1080i assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, implying a frame size of 1920×1080 pixels...
high definition. On 18 March 2007, test simulcasts for 1080i
1080i
1080i is the shorthand name for a high-definition television mode. The i means interlaced video; 1080i differs from 1080p, in which the p stands for progressive scan. The term 1080i assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, implying a frame size of 1920×1080 pixels...
commenced in Manila and Singapore markets, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Bangkok followed on 24 June 2007, with Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
following on 25 June 2007, and Hong Kong on 31 December 2007. Prior to this, the HK-TVB Pearl Network provided a 480i
480i
480i is the shorthand name for a video mode, namely the US NTSC television system or digital television systems with the same characteristics. The i, which is sometimes uppercase, stands for interlaced, the 480 for a vertical frame resolution of 480 lines containing picture information; while NTSC...
4:3 analog
Analog television
Analog television is the analog transmission that involves the broadcasting of encoded analog audio and analog video signal: one in which the message conveyed by the broadcast signal is a function of deliberate variations in the amplitude and/or frequency of the signal...
standard-definition
Standard-definition television
Sorete-definition television is a television system that uses a resolution that is not considered to be either enhanced-definition television or high-definition television . The term is usually used in reference to digital television, in particular when broadcasting at the same resolution as...
broadcast.
Reception
TVB Pearl is broadcast through UHF from its six main transmission stations at Temple Hill, Golden Hill, Castle PeakCastle Peak, Hong Kong
Castle Peak or Pui To Shan is a 583 m high peak in the western New Territories of Hong Kong.In contrast to its Chinese name, which means green hill, Castle Peak is notorious for its severe loss of vegetation and weathering of its Granite surface.The area to the west of the hill was also named...
, Kowloon Peak
Kowloon Peak
Kowloon Peak or Fei Ngor Shan or Fei Ngo Shan is a tall mountain in the northeast corner of New Kowloon, Hong Kong, situated in Ma On Shan Country Park. It is crossed by both the Wilson Trail and the MacLehose Trail. On the lower slopes is Gilwell Campsite, belonging to The Scout...
, Tai Mo Shan
Tai Mo Shan
Tai Mo Shan has the highest peak in Hong Kong, with an altitude of 957 m. It is located approximately at the geographical centre of the New Territories....
, and Lamma Island
Lamma Island
Lamma Island , also known as Pok Liu Chau or simply Pok Liu , is the third largest island in Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Islands District.-Name:...
, and two repeater
Repeater
A repeater is an electronic device that receives asignal and retransmits it at a higher level and/or higher power, or onto the other side of an obstruction, so that the signal can cover longer distances.-Description:...
s at Tsuen Wan
Tsuen Wan
Tsuen Wan is a bay in the Kowloon area of Hong Kong, opposite to Tsing Yi Island across Rambler Channel. The market town of Tsuen Wan emerged for the surrounding villages and fleets of fishing boats in the area. The town is around the present-day Tsuen Wan Station of the MTR...
and Tsing Yi
Tsing Yi
Tsing Yi , or Tsing Yi Island is an island in the urban area of Hong Kong, to the northwest of Hong Kong Island and south of Tsuen Wan. With an area of 10.69 km², the island has extended drastically by reclamation along almost all its natural shore and the annexation of Nga Ying Chau and Chau...
. The Tsuen Wan repeater started service on 22 August 2003, and the Tsing Yi repeater started on 18 September 2003. The repeaters were built to enhance reception of TVB Pearl.
Hong Kong
Censorship in the People's Republic of China (PRC) is implemented or mandated by the PRC's ruling party, the Communist Party of ChinaCommunist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
(CPC). However, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has its own English Common Law system and is largely self-governing, so the censorship policy is not implemented in Hong Kong.
Guangdong Province
TVB Pearl is re-broadcast in GuangdongGuangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
Province by Southern Television (南方電視臺), the state-owned and operated television network in the Province. Due to the media censorship in China
Censorship in the People's Republic of China
Censorship in the People's Republic of China is implemented or mandated by the PRC's ruling party, the Communist Party of China . The special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau have their own legal systems and are largely self-governing, so these censorship policies do not apply...
, TVB Pearl is not always available in some parts of the Province. For example, in some cities (like Shaoguan
Shaoguan
Shaoguan , historically known as Shaokwan and Shao-chow, is a prefecture-level city in the north of Southern China's Guangdong province...
), during those times that the scheduled programme's nature is deemed to be "sensitive”, the local TV provider replaces the programme with pre-taped videos (such as on STD
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
Prevention).
- TVBS-NEWSTVBS-NEWSTVBS-NEWS or is a satellite cable news television channel in Taiwan, launched on 2 October 1995. TVBS-NEWS is also the first 24 hour nationwide news channel in Taiwan.- External links :...
“8PM News” (Daily 5AM local time): Replaced with educational videos - ABC World News (Daily 7:30AM Live): Replaced with pre-taped courtesy messages from the Hong Kong Government
- Bloomberg TelevisionBloomberg TelevisionBloomberg Television is a 24-hour global network broadcasting business and financial news. It is distributed globally, reaching over 200 million homes worldwide. It is owned and operated by Bloomberg L.P...
(Daily 2AM and 6AM): Replaced with music and graphics.
Guangzhou
TVB Pearl is re-broadcast in the city of GuangzhouGuangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
by Guangzhou Television (廣州電視臺, GZTV), the state-owned & operated TV network in Guangzhou. In addition to using advertising to replace censored Hong Kong programmes, GZTV also broadcasts adverts during the hours that TVB Pearl is off the air.
Awards
TVB Pearl has received a number of awards during the years of its programming production. For example, The Pearl Report: Outsider won a merit at the [Hong Kong Human Rights Press Awards]http://hr-pressawards.blogspot.com 2002 co-organised by the Foreign Correspondents' ClubForeign Correspondents' Club, Hong Kong
The Foreign Correspondents' Club in Hong Kong is a members-only club and meeting place for the media, business and diplomatic community. It is located at 2 Lower Albert Road in Central, next to the Hong Kong Fringe Club, and they both occupy the Old Dairy Farm Depot at the top of Ice House Street,...
, Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Journalists Association
Hong Kong Journalists Association
The Hong Kong Journalists Association was established in 1968 for practising journalists in Hong Kong "to enhance press freedom and the integrity of news coverage"...
Meanwhile, 2008 Olympic Image was awarded the Bronze Medal (Station and Image Production) in the New York Festivals.
External links
- TVB Pearl - Official Site
- TVB Discussion forums - fans discuss about TVB and everything related.
- Pearl e-alert registration
- English in the Air project
- Partnership with ABC
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation
- Documentary on TVB News distortion during 2005 WTO protests
- The Foreign Correspondent's Club (Hong Kong)
- The Education Television (ETV)
- Education and Manpower Bureau
- Broadcast Authority
- TVB Square
- The press release of ABC AP and TVB Pearl on 15 April 2002
- JayneStars.com - TVB news translated in English
- Jadednews.com Asian Celebrity News