Contract Renewed -updated with discussion

Contract renewal seesawed for a year; Successive intervention by higher management; Steven signed contract because of Stephen Chan’s 3 words.

續約拉鋸一年　高層相繼插手 馬浚偉因陳志雲三個字動筆

第2126期 > 明報周刊 > 娛樂熱葷

source: Ming Pao weekly

posted08 August 2009

Last July, representing TVB, Virginia Lok initiated the contract renewal talks with Steven Ma, but both parties had not been able to reach a consensus, then. During that period, Catherine Tsang and Mr. Chan陳輝光 (Sir Run Run Shaw’s right hand man, Senior Advisor of TVB Administrative Office) had successively expressed their concerns over the situation. It was not until Stephen Chan struck the decisive note did Ma Zai finally sign the contract this week, after a year or more seesawing on its crucial terms and conditions.

“Actually, I’d already decided to leave TVB, and not renew my contract.”

From initially wanting to leave to finally happily staying put, Ma Zai speaks out for the first time, recounting in details the ups and downs, and the reversal of his thoughts during that period. His career is looking up; moreover, his love relationship is getting a new lift, too. “Recently, two masters (fortune tellers) incredibly told me the same thing – said that next year or the year after, I might get married. Maybe with an ex-flame or maybe with a love at first sight.”

In the midst of our animated conversation, Ma Zai, who rarely talked about the matter of the heart, unexpectedly bared it all, and openly divulged the real reasons for his breakup with his ex-girlfriend. The issue of Steven Ma’s contract renewal inexplicably engendered the personal involvement of several TVB VIPs. Even the male lead was taken aback by their interests.

“Of course, Zhan Jie has always been concerned about me. Earlier this year, Mr. Chan looked me up to discuss this matter. And then later came Stephen. Every one of them asked me why I still hadn’t signed the contract yet. Actually, I’d already decided to leave. I thought that Pu Songling would be my last TVB series.”

Ma Zai is the kind of tough-mentality guy who will not display a show of hand. Hence, even when entangled in a year’s long of contract renewal problems, he remained unflappable and showed no signs of being troubled.

“In these four years, there were of course good times and bad times. I don’t want to make myself unhappy, so might as well leave. And plan for the next stage of my career path.”

Ma Zai is TVB’s overseas market guarantee. His popularity in Mainland China is ever soaring. There have been already several management agencies beckoning him to their camp. And that as soon as his contract terminates, he would concentrate all his energy to “attack” the divine land. (China)

What made Ma Zai discontent with his lot? Was it because there was never any sign of him in TVB’s grand productions?

The Higher Ups in Dispute; Steven Ma as their point of contention.

高層炒大鑊　馬浚偉變磨心
Next Weekly ver: 1011
2009/7/23

Open Warfare between 2 TVB executives (Tsang vs Lok) over Steven Ma, ultimately forcing Stephen Chan's hand to resolve their discord; Stephen supports Steven and his advocate, Catherine Tsang, over Virginia Lok. 

It has long ben widely rumored that the two top TVB executives, Virginia Lok and Catherine Tsang, are at odds with each other underneath their cordial appearance. Lately their discord is out in the open for all to see, even to the point of being factious; explicitly taking a stance of it’s you or me to the bitter end. As to the cause of this contention, allegedly Ms. Lok had vocally criticized that Ms. Tsang’s prized general, Steven Ma’s image ‘can’t enter homes’ (interpretation: Steven has no audience appeal or draw) hence, had repeatedly obstructed his contract renewal with TVB. This point of contention caused the two top female executives to publicly open fire at each other, stirring the big wok during a meeting. Stephen Chan, as the outsider, was ultimately forced to resolve their dispute.

Sacrificing a Prized General.
In recent years, there has been a shortage of siu sang and fan da in TVB. Furthermore, many of its artistes upon termination of their contracts, would jump ship onto greener pastures elsewhere, thereby greatly reducing the already increasingly meager human resources in the artistes management sector, TVB’s most profitable department. As to the group of artistes who possess rating power and whose contract renewals are pending or upcoming such as: Bowie Lam, Roger Kwok, Steven Ma, Maggie Cheung, Sheren Tang, Wong Hei and Ada Choi; it can be said that TVB will definitely want to retain them. But after a lapse of half year, only Bowie Lam and Roger Kwok have renewed their contracts. This situation had greatly alarmed board member, Mona Fong. As the Director of Artiste Resources, Ms. Lok was responsible for stock replenishment, consequently, her right-hand woman, Manager of Artistes Development, Ms. Chan (陳佩華) had to be sacrificed for the flap when she took the blame by resigning last month.

To prevent further outflow of talents, allegedly earlier on, a meeting was held with various TVB departments to discuss the contract renewal crisis. In the meeting, the Director of Series Production, Ms. Catherine Tsang, laid out the contract predicament of her prized general, Steven Ma, whose contract would expire in early July. However, the discussion degenerated into an acrimonious verbal war between the two top executives.