Senior ATV rep says broadcaster focusing on internet platform to stay afloat and set to air Miss Asia Pageant one last time

FormerATVemployeesmeetingstafffromtheLabourDepartmentandliquidatorDeloittethisweek.Photo:DavidWong

(SCMP)AsenioremployeeatembattledbroadcasterATVsaidthecompanywasnowfocusingondesigninganinternetplatformtoallowittostayafloatevenafteritsfree-to-airbroadcastinglicenceexpiresonApril1,assome160staffwerestrugglingtokeepoperationsgoing.

ATVpublicrelationsmanagerJeffWongSau-tung,speakingonaDBCradioprogrammeonFriday,alsostressedthebroadcasterwouldproceedwithtelevisingtheMissAsiaPageantforthelasttime,sometimebeforetheendofMarch.

“Thefirststageofthecontesthasbeencompletedonthemainland,”Wongsaid.“Thenextstepisthecontest’sfinalstage.Timeisverytight.”

“IwouldliketoclarifythatthecrownofMissAsiathisyearatleastcostsfourdigits,insteadofhowsomeinternetrumourssuggesteditwouldjustbeworthafewhundreddollars.”

Hesaidthedateoftheannualcontesthadyettobefinalisedandthatthecompanywasinactivetalkswithsponsors.

ButWongsaidhewasnotatlibertytosaywhythemoneypromisedbymainlandinvestorSiRongbintosaveATVhadyettomaterialise.

“MrSiisawareofthesituationandisverynervousaboutit,”Wongsaid,addingthatSiwas“workinghard”onsecuringthecapital.

Inanagreementwiththebroadcaster’sprovisionalliquidatorDeloitte,ChinaCultureMediaInternational,whichSicontrols,earlierpromisedtoinjectHK$8millionoffundingtokeepthebroadcasteroperational.

Butthetwofirmslateraccusedeachotherofbreachingtermsandconditionsinthelast-minutedeal,withDeloitttesayingSifailedtocoughupthepromisedsum.

OnTuesday,HongKong-basedinvestmentholdingcompanyCo-ProsperityapprovedmeasuresallowingthegrouptoprovidealoanofHK$300millionforChinaCultureMediaInternational.

Separately,mainlandtechentrepreneurChinaTrendsHoldings,anATVcreditor,saiditwantedtoprovideasecuredandinterest-freeloanofuptoHK$500milliontoATVandturnitintoan“internetTVbusinesswithe-commercemediacharacteristics”.

“Thisisahardtimeforallofus,”saidWong,whojoinedATVin2008.“ATVhasallowedmemanyopportunitiesanddevelopment.Icannotabandonitwhentherearedifficulties.”