Now TV visit

now TV Visit (by He Zhiping, M.A. Global Communication student)

The biggest challenge for 24-hour news channel is to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of news through the collaboration among reporters, cameramen and editors working under tremendous time pressure. 

This was the view of Dylan Lee, now TV’s Director of News and Financial Information Production Department, when he explained the news operation of a 24-hour news channel during a media visit by over 30 graduate students from the School of Journalism and Communication of CUHK, led by Professional Consultant David Wong. 

To illustrate the importance and challenge of the accuracy and timeliness of news, Mr Lee also demonstrated to students the production process of editing the latest live news by displaying the rundowns, scripts and graphics within the Master Control System. The processing demanded very skillful and effective cooperation between reporters at the scene and editors in newsroom for live production link-up. 

Now TV has managed to employ limited human resources to overcome the tough challenge for 24-hour news channel, according to Mr Lee. 

Besides the vivid demonstration, the visitors were also impressed by the new technology being used by now TV during their tour to the master control room, broadcast centre and editing room. The visit also gave them good opportunity to understand technical production of the operation of a 24-hour news channel, the ways of news transmission, the arrangement of commercial breaks when students had the opportunity to ask questions at the Q&A session before winding up the visit. 

At present, the two self-produced 24-hour news channels of now TV _ now Business News Channel and now News Channel launched in 2003 and 2004 respectively _ have been successful in building up local viewership by providing the latest, thorough and insightful market news, Mr Lee said. 

As the largest pay-TV service provider in Hong Kong, now TV is operated by the Hong Kong telecom operator PCCW through its subsidiary, PCCW VOD Limited. Transmitted through Netvigator broadband network via an IPTV service, now TV offers more than 170 channels including popular HBO, Discovery Channel and ESPN channels. 

Group photo for the now TV visit (Left) 
now TV news broadcast centre (Right)

nowTV financial news channel master control room (Left) 
now TV editors in action to cope with 24-hour news broadcast (Right)

now TV’s Dylan Lee explains the news 
production to visiting students