AF#289 Jse, on 23 Apr 2010 - 8:33 PM, said: 《蒲松齡》 "Ghost Writer" will air after "Sisters of Pearl" on June 7 @ 8:30 PM.Tamaya: Figures! Of course, TVB will air Steven's series against the World Soccer Games which will last through the month of June! And to have it go head to head with the most awaited series of the year with arguably the most popular onscreen partners. Fungyi in MOLYeah another Steven drama to be released soon!!!
Call me paranoid, but seems to me that TVB too often tries to sabotage Steven's series, if it's not released overseas then it would air in unfavorable time slots and now this against 2 tough competitors. In past interviews, both Steven and Fala had expressed high hopes of getting an award for their roles in Pu Song Ling, guess TVB is not going to make it easy for Steven given the tough competition for ratings.
Sorry, just gotten vent!
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'Sneezer', on 24 Apr 2010 - 12:25 AM, said:
Despite the unfavorable timing, we just have to believe on the fact that if the series is good, people will watch it.[..]Doesn't sound like TVB is favoring Steven and setting him for success... hope I am wrong on this.[..]If the timeslot remains true, that is just so unfortunate... Just hoping for the best scenario. What's more, isn't Steven tie to another 3 yr with TVB which means this kind of treatment will pretty much stay the same until contract is over? How come Steven is more "recognized" in Mainland China/Overseas than in HK? I suppose he cannot take any other jobs without the consent of TVB which definitely stagnate his presence and career. [..]
Maybe posting and voicing in tvb blog about this may make a squeak and in hopes to move mountains about this situation and of course to let TVB management know the full support and backing of Steven.*****************************************************
Tamaya: But people who would have watched it will not because of better (to them) tv program especially one that comes only once every 4 years. Have you watched Where the legend begins? A much loved series among its fans. In fact, Mainland China fans called it a classic, but did you know it had dismal ratings in Hong Kong because TVB used it to combat World Cup. If PSL's timeslot is accurate then this will be Steven's 2nd series sacrificing ratings to go head to head with World Cup. The timing of a series plays a very important role in garnering high ratings. A good series needs assistance from effective marketing and good timing for it to showcase its full potential.
To me, ever since Steven's unexpected popularity from Safe Guards making his the most successful comeback, TVB tried to curb his popularity from soaring further. Ostensibly billed as the first male lead but in reality he was not; has his series released overseas back to back (besides Sunny Chan, what other first line actors have his series released overseas so often), has two series in unfavorable time slot, and now Pu Song Ling, which btw Steven has high hopes of getting an award. Why did TVB have PSL pitted against such stiff competition. Is someone afraid that psl would do to Steven's popularity what Safeguards had done prior? Made me wonder why? I've checked the world soccer cup schedule program and there are many matches to be held at 8:30 pm throughout June which will definitely clash with PSL.
If PSL is aired in this time slot, I really don't have high hopes for its ratings. Feel so bad for Steven now. Only yesterday he posed the question to his fans on which series his fans most want to watch. Most said PSL.
[..]Yeah, very disappointed in PSL timeslot. Doesn't matter if PSL's ratings beat Mystery of Love (RL and Tavia's long awaited series) itself, it must have ratings over 30 points to be considered for awards. And PSL has two very tough competitors - WC and MOL. Also, usually the ratings for 8:30 pm timeslot are usually lower than the 9:30 pm timeslot. Talking about which, how come Steven's series seldom get aired in the 9:30 pm timeslot if ever? Why?
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Steven's weibo today
Seeing how much thoughts and efforts you all put in on my behalf, I am truly touched. Frankly, 4th brother (Steven) has never minded how other people treat myself. What fear there is, is the fear that I am the one at fault. If not, then why fear anything else? What’s there to worry? Life is like that, can’t expect to have the whole world’s approval. Only hope that before the eyes are shut (died) there are no unfulfilled wishes; then at least can depart with no regrets! (mutual sharing!)
Tamaya: I felt so bad when I read his weibo entry. He must have read the baidu thread of PSL clashes World Cup.
Just wish that Steven's series is not put in a tough position that may jeopardize its ratings. Wish that his series is given the same support as the other artistes'. That his series is showcased instead of been pushed to back burners.
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ChiK888 on 26 Apr 2010 - 06:04 AM, said:Ratings-wise – I am not too concerned about this in relation to the aforementioned scheduled broadcast of PSL against the World Cup and the FungYi detective series? [..]Though rather simplistic to say, I always believe that quality is more important that quantity…Besides being an overseas Steven fan enables me to enjoy his TV series in its entirety unlike HK viewers who tend to switch on and off (this I noticed whilst recently vacationing in HK).[..]Let us just appreciate Steven’s acting and TV series and not worry about other things…afterall, when his TVB contract does expire….who knows but we may never see Steven onscreen again.************************************************************
Tamaya:
Chik888, thanks for dropping by.
The only reason why some of us fans are concerned about PSL's ratings is because we want Steven to be able to win the best actor award this year convincingly backed up by PSL's good ratings and good reviews. We are confident in Steven's performance, and given his and Fala's high hopes for PSL, we are also confident in it being a quality series. The only uncertain and uncontrollable variable is the ratings. We don't want the ratings to be in anyway compromised for the very reason that PSL was not showcased to its fullest potential due to unfavorable scheduling. Steven has already more than his share of having his series being mistreated. We don't want to have to say this in regrets again: That PSL's ratings could have been so much better if not for it being impacted by WC. Just like we have this lingering regrets that maybe AWT's rating could have been so much better if not for it being aired during the New Year, or that TCG2's ratings could have been so much better if not for it being shown on CNY, or The sweetness of the salt's could have been so much better if not for it being released overseas first and aired right after the blockbuster RB.
If not for a good chance of fulfilling his long time dream of triumphantly holding that best actor award in his hand, I am pretty sure Steven would not have renewed his contract. He is not getting the recognition and support from tvb management anyway, not to mention working at menial wages. Without TVB backing he might not have recognition either, but at least according to him, when in his previous freelancing he earned three times more in a year than he did at TVB.
Why does this weibo sentence of his sadden me: "I've never minded how other people treat me....Only hope that before the eyes are shut (died) there are no unfulfilled wishes; then at least can depart with no regrets! " Most Steven fans and I couldn't care less about ratings or tvb awards per se if not for the fact that winning that award means a lot to Steven.
The schedules of 10 WC matches will clash with PSL. In other words, 10 out of PSL's 25 episodes (40% of total) will clash with WC. which mean viewers will probably just forgo watching the whole series, why even bother watching when 40% of it will clash with your viewing of WC?
The sad thing is, Steven will probably don an unconcerned face mask to the public when questioned about the threat of WC to PSL.
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AF#309 Tamaya:
Holly Molly! A snooping reporter having read fans complaints about PSL clashing with World Cup reported on it. Luckily it is objectively written. It is now way passed my bedtime so will wait until tomorrow to translate. This is good publicity to Steven fans' cause, at least TVB knows we fans are onto its scheme. The report indicated that there were two differing fans opinions - one side sees Steven as a sacrificial lamb; the other sees him as rating guarantee. I'm of the former.
Related news 2010 SM Fans Irked at Ghost Writer's WC timeslot I'm so glad a reporter publicized this unfair situation of Steven getting hit twice with World Cup's competition. The snooping reporter who published this must be a Steven sympathizer.
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Sneezer: I would have to say putting PSL into the June time is a deliberation on TVB part to hold him back then to "support" him. It is too coincidental that the previous Steven's series were also landed on "unfavorable" timeslot and yet why wouldn't TVB put it in normal time to further demonstrate how much greater his potential could have been. It is just so convenient and politically correct to say b/c he is of such "high caliber" and thus only use his series during such time can offset what otherwise would be greater lost. I am glad the reporter published this point out for the public awareness and have the people truly decide for themselves what kind of organization TVB is operating. What can't ATV be more competitive...***********************************************************
Leba: And after reading Steven's ge yan ( dunno how to translate it) for the past 3 days, I cannot agree with Tamaya more that Steven does feel affected to some extent about PSL being aired in such a competitive slot. He's probably just looking hopeful and dun want his fans to be too affected by it. But like what he said today, about not always reaping what you sow, I think he does feel to some extent he's not being treated very fairly by the company. Just that Steven being the Steven we know, has decided to look at things on the bright side. I really hope PSL's ratings would rocket such that those people in TVB who are directly involved in depriving Steven would just stop doing such unfair things to him anymore.
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Tamaya: I would translate ge yan as maxims, aphorism, adage etc. How can he not be disappointed? He wants to a best actor award bad, and PSL is his best bet to even get close to it, but now its ratings are compromised even before it airs. Like the adage goes, for things to succeed; time, people and place must line up. Well, time is definitely out of sync here. Sorry to be a damper, but I really don't have high hopes for PSL's ratings.
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Akazukin: Actually, not only PSL are being complained of having to meet World Cup, MOL's fans worry that it has to meet World Cup too. No matter how good the series is, the mindset is that it will be affected by World Cup in one way or another. Besides, TVB has mytv now, whoever that misses an episode or two can go back to TVB website to watch them. I guess time will progress to maybe incorporate mytv hit counts into the assessment of rating system. There should be a need to it because people who watch from mytv are highly likely not to have watched from TV. I guess that also maybe one of the reason why ratings for series are so low these days. Previously average ratings used to be 30-33. Now any rating passing 30 marks is considered to be doing quite well.
Honestly, I wasn't really looking forward to PSL before because I am not really a fan of fantasy series from TVB. Somehow PSL reminds me of Dark Tales, which was interesting yet was a bit too sad for my taste. But then, I also hope all go well. On the other hand, I sorta think PSL may actually have a better chance against MOL because PSL seems to be the genre that housewives will watch while MOL seems like a genre that youngsters watch, especially with fungyi as the popular idols. But June is an exam period so I don't know whether they will be allowed to watch MOL. Anyway, I guess it's too early to speculate. If there is nothing that we can do about it, might as well just enjoy the show and not concerned about the ratings.
I can understand that we are all eager for our idols to get the big awards. But if RB2 is going to air this year, there won't be likely chance that any series can compete against RB2 during the awards. The reason not being it was highly anticipated series, but if we count Lee Tim Shing + Cheung Wah Biu (he is the writer for RB2 right?) + the casts + the fan base, it sounds like a fail-proof series to me. The success rate is probably like that to HOG/MR. So I will say if RB2 gets to air this year, we should be prepared that no other series can really get the big awards, unless of course a surprise comes out, which we know didn't happen in MR year anyway.
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