The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) announced today (December 29) the results of the first-round applications to support local television stations to co-produce television variety programmes with Mainland/Asian production teams under the CreateSmart Initiative (CSI). Six applications were received from three local television stations. Three successful applications will be funded, involving a total amount of around $25.47 million.
The Chief Executive proposed in the 2022 Policy Address to support the co-production of television variety programmes by local television stations and Mainland/Asian production teams to enhance the soft power of Hong Kong's pop culture, opening up a broader market for relevant industries and their peripheral products while nurturing more talent for relevant industries. In this connection, Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) invited applications from local television stations. CreateHK will sponsor part of the production cost of approved television variety programmes through the CSI. The funding ceiling of each project is $10 million. Details of the three approved projects in the first-round applications are as follows (in chronological order by broadcasting date):
(1) HOY TV Limited and Guangdong Radio and Television will co-produce the "Spring Gala Festival". Local and Mainland artists, art groups and athletes will participate in different performances in the Chinese New Year variety programme that incorporates the distinctive characteristics of Hong Kong and the Mainland. The programme is expected to be broadcast simultaneously in Hong Kong and the Mainland in the first quarter of 2024.
(2) HK Television Entertainment Company Limited and M.V. Television (Thailand) Co. Ltd. will co-produce the "CHILL CLUB (Thailand version)". The programme will feature artists from Hong Kong and Thailand who will perform hit songs from both regions, as well as a large-scale live concert in Hong Kong. Hong Kong hosts will also visit Thailand to exchange with Thai music industry practitioners the latest developments of the music industry of the two places. The programme is expected to be broadcast in Hong Kong and Thailand starting from the second quarter of 2024.
(3) Television Broadcasts Limited and Mango TV will co-produce the "Endless Melody 2". The programme includes a number of tours in communities in Hong Kong and a live concert in Changsha, Hunan, delivered by artists from Hong Kong and the Mainland in a format of competition. The programme is expected to be broadcast simultaneously in Hong Kong and the Mainland in the fourth quarter of 2024.
CreateHK hopes that the funded projects will help promote Hong Kong's pop culture to go beyond Hong Kong, and plans to accept the second round of applications in the first quarter of 2024.
The CSI was established by the Government in June 2009 to promote and speed up the development of local creative industries to build Hong Kong into Asia's creative capital. The CSI aims at providing financial support to projects conducive to the development of creative industries in Hong Kong. It is administered by CreateHK under the CSTB.
Friday, December 29, 2023