Tamaya's thought on tv king

BTW, I'm very curious. Why do reporters go around interviewing ppl like Moses and Wayne and say that Moses, Raymond and Wayne stand the highest chance of winning TV King award this year? Leba @ asianfanatics  August 8 2010

Tamaya says:

Why? Because they are the main leads in high profile, high budget and highly promoted grand-scale productions that are produced this year (except GTL) and get to air the same year, too, with impeccable timing. This obvious preferential treatment of series shows TVB’s blatant backing of the favored few (collectively termed “The Favored”).  Although I personally think Wayne is favored not as a TVB favorite son to win awards but as an effective publicity and rallying draw for commercial sponsorship because of his universal appeal to netizens.  But all in all, tabloids’ speculation is based on how the winds are currently blowing in TVB politics

Considering the schedule placements of Steven’s series, he is obviously not in The Favored circle.  Although his series ratings did him proud despite disadvantaged time slots, they did not engender enough of a surge (unlike Chai Gao) from netizens to push him into the ‘in’ circle.  But if TVB had so wanted him to win, that could have been easily remedied with extra promotions and hype up publicity touting his series’ hard-earned accomplishments or what-nots.  We do know that much of the tabloids news is written by TVB’s own people. 

As I see it, ratings and hype, not outstanding performances, are the determining criteria for choosing the past winners, with exceptions, of course.  But the success of a series is easily influenced by both preferential treatment and favored time slot.  In the recent years, series aired during the 2nd half of the year prior to anniversary ceremony generally garnered higher ratings, especially when pushed by TVB.  The Favored’s series were highly promoted earlier this year on March 22 when TVB operated a vendor’s booth in Hong Kong International Film & TV Market Expo (FILMART) to promote them as the 2010 grand productions. So, naturally, public attention would be on them because after all they are TVB prize jewels especially despite being an anniversary series, so far, there is not much promotion on Gun Metal Grey because its main leads are not among The Favored.

Even as far back as July 14 this  year, even before any series of the ‘hot favorites’ was released, tabloids were already touting Wayne, Moses and Raymond as ‘hot favorites’ based on their grand-production status and their release schedules, but most of all, because based on their understanding of TVB ways.

In the second half of 2010, TVB will release three grand-scale productions. The series line-up includes Raymond Lam Fung’s Growing Through Life <摘星之旅>, Moses Chan Ho and Charmaine Sheh Si Man’s Can’t Buy Me Love <公主嫁到>, and Wayne Lai Yiu Cheung and Sheren Tang Shui Man’s Rosy Business 2- The Righteous Sea of Heroic Love <巾幗梟雄之義海豪情>.

Due to the release schedule of the upcoming dramas, the year-end TVB Anniversary Best Actor Award will become a battle between Raymond Lam, Moses Chan and Wayne Lai. However, Wayne already expressed that he does not have confidence in winning the award, stating that Raymond and other contenders posed as fierce competition. jaynestar.com

Even before the series were aired or even produced, for that matter, TVB had already in mind who they wanted to nominate or crown as tvb king for the year or next. Thus, it duly begins paving early the “kingly” path for the heir apparent to claim the crown. The public rumble is that based on this year going-ons, Raymond is TVB’s crown prince/favorite son. It is indeed obvious since the latter half of the year, TVB has been building momentum for Raymond to win the award this year with wave upon wave of ostentatious promotions and publicity including a concert (July), movies (Aug, Oct) and the timely airing of GTL close to Anniversary. If GTL had garnered 30 points or above in ratings, or even at 29 points (as Golden Faith) the official crowning of him as TVB king would have been just a formality, right?  

Obviously, TVB has hoped that GTL's ranking like its predecessor's, DOL, will be in the top 10.  That GTL totally tanked in the ratings with its dismal 25 plus average point is an unexpected devastating blow to TVB's well-laid plan.  Because regardless how high MOL’s ratings may be, there is no way (unless TVB wants a netizens’ revolution on its hands) that Raymond Lam can be crown TV King for it.  A  favoritism too egregious even for TVB’s duplicity.  

 

In fact, if TVB had so desired, it could have made a big noise about both Steven's series being aired in disadvantaged time slots, yet still garnering above average ratings.  Though PSL was most probably a breeze for Steven to portray but that is only because he was that good, not because it was an easy role to portray.  In another actor’s hands, PSL portrayal might not have turnout as well, Steven just made it look easy with the right look, the right mannerisms and facial expressions of a Qing scholar.  What is lacking for Steven in his bid for TVB king title is the lack of hype for both GW and the lack of a powerful and influential patron's backing.  Enough to say I support Steven for the best actor award all the way, and imo, if he wins it, it is no handout to him but recognition hard earned and well deserved for an excellent performance.