Hong Kong Tv Culture

How did the Hong Kong TV watching culture change from 1980 to 2010

Acknowledgement To finish this IES, I get help from many people, thanks for their advice and guidance.

Teachers | I would like to thanks for their patience and guidance, without their advice, it would be impossible to finish this project. This big project had almost three years duration, teacher had paid as must as the effort we paid, and it is not easy to manage. | Respondents form questionnaires | I would like to thanks for their help, without their participation I cannot have updated data. | Friends | I would like to thanks for their encouragement. We always discuss and exchange ideas about IES, we have the same aim, we want to do the BEST. | | |

Introduction This topic has a great relationship between our daily life. Our live in an area surrounding by a lot of media. Although a television is only an electronic technology product, carries a rich cultural imagination. Up to nowadays the electronic media is still the highest penetration of the medium. The television is almost an integral part in the modern home now. Radio communication of images, sounds, has become an environment of our home for months and years.

This environment has provided a direct, simple way for our community every day, talking about the TV programmes to make a "cordial conversation", it become an important element of popular culture. Over the past twenty years, televisions broadcasting in the unique social context have shaped our unique local culture.

Some people said that ‘TV is dead’, it has lost the popular culture of the eighties. But the lost of the popular culture of eighties does not mean that the TV is dead. For these ten years there were many political and social conflicts, it accelerated the growth of local civil society unexpectedly, and had developed the demand for universal suffrage, protest collusion, support conservation and sustainable development of different fronts. In the new situation of social development, the TV is not only "not dead", there may be more signs of new life into another culture war.

Background Information Watching TV is the most popular method of amusement in Hong Kong, but this phenomenon has change in this few years. Years ago people are still tracing the TV programmes every night and enjoy watching TV when having dinner, people said they can「電視餸飯」, but the most popular method of amusement seem to replaced by using the internet.

Besides, the habit of Hongkongers changed also the programme type has changed too. Before, the main themes of the programmes are mainly about families, relationships, etc., the stories are usually very warm and people love to watch them. But this trend has been changed, most of the themes of the programme is about divorce and dispute the family property.

From post-war to mid-eighties, Hong Kong has separate from China for a period, the isolation of culture occur, the new generation of Hong Kong, the colonial government non-intervention, as well as 70 television and 80 years of strong economy, let the Television of Hong Kong became Hong Kong 's major cultural resources. It absorbed the culture of the west, and transformed the traditional Chinese character. It has built up the unique local culture of Hong Kong.

But since the mid-eighties, the situation has changed because of the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s television culture has included in the China’s development trajectory, the population differentiate rapidly, it cause the lost of audience of TV programmes. The strong economy of television has turndown, and the competition of local television is too large and it is difficult to get profit as the television rating is slipping.

There are many reasons for the decline rating of television. Some people believe that the television viewers have lost freshness, as the market is lack of competition led to lower the quality of the programmes. Also the Kara OK and the rise of video recorders and other reasons, it caused the lost of viewers.

Research Objective From the eighties to nowadays, there are great changes of the TV programmes. TV programmes will be replaced by Internet as amusement soon, also, there are more and more types of media developed.

The trend of tracing TV programmes has been changed. There are less and less people go back home on time just for the TV shows, it is because of the development of the internet, people can watch the TV shows of a few days later. Also, the TV programmes that the audience choose have changed, in the past, there are only local programmes, nowadays, we can watch TV programmes from different countries from television or the Internet. They spend less time to watch TV with family members, the relationship may turn worst because of lack of topic to talk about or their values are not the same.

The quality of the TV programmes is decreasing too; the stories and main themes of the programmes are mostly copy from the programmes from Taiwan or Japan, which are very popular in those countries and many Hongkongers are tracing for them from the Internet.

In conclude, I am going to find out: 1. How the role of TV programme change from 1980? 2. Did the increasing types of media affect the choosing of the programmers of Hongkongers? 3. What factors determent the people watch the TV or not, the story background or the artist? 4. In what extend, TV programme can change one’s mind?

Methodology To finish this project, I will collect primary and secondary information.

For the primary information, there will be a questionnaire. The target groups of questionnaire are Hong Kong people from different age groups or generations. I am going to collect 100 questionnaires, with 50% of people born before eighties and 50% of people who born after eighties, it can easily found out the changes of TV programmes by comparing the result. I would not use interview to collect primary information, because it is quite difficult to find people this familiar with changes of TV culture. If I have an interview with a people who love to watch TV, I think the interview is irrelevant, as it is personal feelings towards the TV programme, and the information I collect would be too subjective.

For the secondary information, I will find more information from the Internet and books, especially news. Actually, there are a few news about the trend of TV culture, it would be hard to find news that can response to my question. I will read more books about the changing of the trend of TV and media in these twenty years, mainly focus on two books, ‘Media & Culture’ by Mr. SHI Wen Hong in 1993 and ‘Vision-tele-vision’ by Mr. KOO Yong Xin in 2006.

Literature Review The book ‘Media & Culture’ by Mr. SHI Wen Hong studied the cultures related to media, and TV watching culture is one of them. It told the TV watching culture in 1990s. Mr. SHI Wen Hong has worked on many cultural related issues, and he has in-deep discussion on many issues. I think this book will be useful in collection information about the TV watching culture in 1990s as I do not really familiar with the changes, and they will be reliable information.

The book ‘Vision-tele-vision’ by Mr. KOO Yong Xin studied about the TV watching culture in 2000s, the studies mainly focus on how the TV programme affect the values of the audience. This book will be useful to answer my focusing questions.

‘Media Digest’ is a online magazine that produced by Radio Television Hong Kong. Radio Television Hong Kong is one of the main media programme producer in Hong Kong, and it has experienced the change of TV watching culture. But some of the information may be too subjective, as itself is a programme producer, I would select the information carefully before using them.

Findings and Analysis
Here is my finding from the questionnaire:

From this question, I can know how many respondents form questionnaires really saw the changes of TV culture in Hong Kong. This would how my data collected more accurate

This question would help me to find out the TV watching habit of Hong Kong people. The majority of people used to watch TV every day.
Findings and Analysis
This question would shown the changes of the role of TV programme when compare to the secondary information I collected from books. The majority of people indentify the role of TV programmes as entertainment.

This question can reflect how factor will they concern when choosing TV programme. The main reason of choosing the TV programme is because of the playing time.
Findings and Analysis
This question helps me to find out whether the audience of TV programme think that there are controlling powers. Some people think there are, because they may rush back home because of the TV programme.

This question reflects the power of TV programme, TV programme sometimes give us knowledge, but sometime wrong images.
Findings and Analysis
Through this question, I can find out the trend of TV watching culture would not be affected by increasing types of media, as the majority of people still watch TV programme through television.

Discussion 1. How the role of TV programme change from 1980?
To answer this focusing Question, I collected information from questionnaire and books.

Here are two paragraphs taken form ‘Media & Culture’, they help me to find out the answer:
I) Media not only tools, its appearance has affected the method of collecting message of human life. The media can reflect reality, but it is not necessarily objective, it may distort or change the reality and reconcile the people 's understanding of reality. (Mr. SHI Wen Hong, 1993)
This passage proved that media, is a kind of tool that spread messages to the public. It can tell us the truth, but may also made us mislead the message, we have to think more before absorbing the message.

II) Any government have social responsibility are clear that: television is the main cultural and social part of life for the public, including information, entertainment and education, they are the social right of the public, and they should not be neglected, but not a tool of the big capitalists and large corporations for profit means . (Mr. SHI Wen Hong, 1993)
This passage proved that TV programme is an important part of the living of Hong Kong people. Also, the role of TV programme should be for knowing the society, in some big companies’ eye, they are only a tool of making money.

I collect data from my questionnaire too. I have asked them what they think the role of TV programme is. (Question no.3, see in appendix)
From the questionnaire, there are 35% people think that TV programme is for news, 48% of people think that TV programme is for knowledge and 73% of people think that TV programme is for entertainment. The majority of the people think the TV programme is for entertainment.

The role of TV programme has not change in the eye of audiences when compared to the article, but in the of big companies, TV progrmme is always a tool for making money.

Discussion 2. Did the increasing types of media affect the choosing of the programmers of Hongkongers?
To answer this focusing question, I collect information form questionnaire and books.

Here is the paragraph taken from ‘Vision-tele-vision’, it help me to find out the answer to this focusing question:
I) With more and more modern forms of entertainment, in order to maintain the competitiveness, the type of TV programme also tend to be leaded by the audiences, keeping the number of audiences in the front of the television. (Mr. KOO Yong Xin, 2006)
This passage has reflected the situation recently, the audiences of TV programme is losing.

I have also collect information through questionnaire. I have asked them which channel do they used to watch TV.(Question no.7, see in appendix)
There are 76% of people watch TV through television, 21% of people watch TV through internet, and 3% of people watch TV through mobile phone. The majority of people still watch TV programme through television, the loosing of audiences so not so obvious.

The media type has increased, there are many channels for the audiences to choose to have entertainment nowadays. Only based on the TV programme, people can easily watch them through the internet, they do not have to stay in front of the television, watching the TV programme.

Discussion 3. What factors determent the people watch the TV or not, the story background or the artist?
To answer this focusing question, I collect information form questionnaire and books.

Here are the two paragraphs taken from ‘Vision-tele-vision’, it help me to find out the answer to this focusing question:
I) Some people may think that beauty contest is blaspheming the image of women. But the reality is that, there are more people cursed the vulgar side, while eyes are glued to the TV. No matter what kind of person you are, that is only a personal choice of preferences. (Mr. KOO Yong Xin, 2006)
This passage proved that people chose TV programme by their own favor, it is just a choice of preferences.

II) A popular TV series, the key often lies in the ability to incite the audience 's emotions, they have the same feeling with the characters, happiness and sorrow, and really hate the bad guys in the programme. (Mr. KOO Yong Xin, 2006)
This paragraph proves that some people choose TV programme because of its story line, they may have same feeling with the character.

I have also collect information from questionnaire. I have asked what factor will they consider when choose a TV programme.(Question no.4, see in appendix)
From the survey, there are 48% of people choose the TV programme because of the artist, 62% of people choose of because of its playing time, 14% of people chose it because of its story background, 7% of people chose it because of other factors, such as the director. The majority of people choose the TV programme because of its playing time.

I predicted that the story line of the TV programme will be the main reason that the people choose to watch it, because the audience can fell into to the stories, or some audiences may have the same experience with the character in the TV programme, and they will have resonance. But my prediction is wrong.

Discussion 4. In what extend, TV programme can change one’s mind?
To answer this focusing question, I collect information form questionnaire and books.

Here are the three paragraphs taken from ‘Vision-tele-vision’, it help me to find out the answer to this focusing question:
I) A successful TV series, allow the audiences to enjoy the play into the plot; but an influential series are more than that, they can bring the values and beliefs in the programme into the reality, learn the role as a real character. (Mr. KOO Yong Xin, 2006)
This passage proved the attitude of the character can be a model of our life, some people may follow them.

II) Become common practice to contend with one kind of cultural values is not easy, especially when it was "internalized" as the idea into the public generally. (Mr. KOO Yong Xin, 2006)
TV programme have to change the mind of their audience, so that the audience believe the programme is true, but that is not easy.

III) Form the information and data in the text, we cannot deny that the drama can build up certain orientation of intervention and the establishment of influence to the audience. It is not hard to imagine that, when the drama constantly holding value of life, there are likely to reinforce the audience some idea of the identity, or be mistaken from the generally accepted values. (Mr. KOO Yong Xin, 2006)
This shows that the power of TV programme is so great that can changed one’s mind and values, when one watches the TV programme always.

I have also collect information from questionnaire. I have asked two questions related to this focusing question. I have asked then in what extend did they think that TV programme control their living. (Question no.5, see in appendix)
From the survey, there are 21% of people strongly agree that TV programme did control their living, 40% of people agree that TV programme did control their living, 32% of people feel neutral towards TV programme did control their living, 7% of people disagree that TV programme did control their living, 0% of people strongly disagree that TV programme did control their living. The majority of people agree that TV programme did control their living.
Another question I had asked is, in what extend did TV programme change one’s mind. (Question no.6, see in appendix)
From the survey, there are 21% of people strongly agree that TV programme can change one’s mind, 36% of people agree that TV programme can change one’s mind, 24% of people feel neutral towards TV programme can change one’s mind, 12% of people disagree that TV programme can change one’s mind, 7% of people strongly disagree that TV programme can change one’s mind. The majority of people agree that TV programme can change one’s mind.

TV programme is really powerful, it can change our values if we used to watch it. The reason why TV programme is so powerful, is that TV programme is a combination of image and sound, TV programme will leave an very deep image in our mind, they are not easy to remove or change, unless it is changed by another TV programme.

Conclusion Form the findings and discussion, I found out the changes of TV culture from 1980 to 2010.

Firstly, the role of TV programmes does not have a great change from 1990 to 2010. The role of TV programmes towards the audiences is still mainly for entertainment. But the number of advertisements has increases a lot, some of them may change the values of the audiences.

Secondly, it is about the increasing type of media. The increasing type of media has affected the habit of watching TV programme, the programmes can be easily revise from the internet. Although there are losing of audience who watch TV on television, but it does not change the truth that people watch TV programmes every day, and TV programmes have an important place in their daily life. From that, it shows that the power of TV programmes does not change, and it is still powerful nowadays.

Thirdly, the lifestyle of Hong Kong people has changed, the life becomes busier nowadays. The main factor that they concern when choosing a TV programme is the playing time, rather than the content of the programmes.

Reflection
This project is quite challenging, as it is a work of one person. Projects are always work with a group in the past, and the group members may give you advice, but this time, I have to work it out by myself, that is why this is the most challenging task I have never met, and it is time consuming
.
At first, I think that it would be easy, because I can choose a topic I am really interested in, but in fact, it is not an easy job. I knew the background information of the topic, but I have lost my direction for some time.

The most challenging part is collecting first-hand information. It is quite difficult to have interview, I have decided not to have it to save time finding people have well-known about TV programme a lot.

For the questionnaire, I think there are some problems in my target group. I find that, when the young people do not really know the change of TV programme, my target group of the questionnaire should be focus on people born before 1980s.

Also, there are not much articles about TV programmes, I spend lots of time on it.

Actually, the schedule is really tight, everything is doing in a rush, I think I have to plan my time more clearly when I meet this kind of task again.

When I meet some project similar, I will have better time management, as things always have changes and some problem may suddenly pop out, I always better to get the stuff done before the ‘deadline’.

Working Schedule TIME | WORK | Start form September,2010 | Search for secondary information | Late December,2010 | Prepare questionnaire | Late January,2011 | Collect data of the questionnaire throw e-mail | Early February,2011 | Data analysis | May,2011 | Report writing | Late June,2011 | Discussion of the focusing questions | Late September,2011 | Final checking of the report |

References & Bibliography i. References:
Monthly magazine:
Media digest—RTHK Jul,1998 http://www.rthk.org.hk/mediadigest/md9807/jul_04.html Newspaper:
Ming Pao 23rdAug,2010 05:05 http://hk.news.yahoo.com/article/090822/4/du5y.html Book: 1. Media & Culture Mr. SHI Wen Hong
Subculture July, 1993 2. Vision-tele-vision Mr. KOO Yong Xin
Breakthrough March, 2006 ii. Bibliography:
香港中文大學新聞與傳播學院 馮應謙
http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/rih/forum2008/file/A43.pdf

References: Subculture July, 1993 2 Breakthrough March, 2006 ii