Editing TVB (section)

==History==
[[File:Tws-transmission-tower-9.jpg|thumb|The main TVB transmitter at [[Temple Hill (Hong Kong)|Temple Hill]]. TVB was Hong Kong's first "wireless", or free-to-air television station.]]

=== Origins ===
The government set up a working party in the early 1960s to study the idea of setting up a second television station in Hong Kong, where the only television at that time was the wired, subscription-supported [[Rediffusion Television]]. There was debate as to whether the second station should be set up as a Crown corporation, like the [[BBC]]; a purely commercial enterprise; or a combination of the two. Another challenge lay in procuring enough content for the new station. In 1962, [[Information Services Department|Director of Information Services]] J. L. Murray stated that while English programming could be purchased from other countries, "no country is producing a mass of suitable pre-recorded material in Chinese". Even though Hong Kong was already regarded as a centre for film production, it was considered a challenge to source enough Chinese-language content for another television station, as most of it would need to be produced in Hong Kong.<ref name="possibility">{{cite news|title=Possibility of new T.V. station in Hongkong|work=South China Morning Post|date=7 June 1962|page=1}}</ref>

Regardless, there was commercial interest in the concept. A government franchise for a new wireless (free-to-air) television station was opened for tenders on 6 February 1965 and closed on 6 August 1965. On 25 January 1966 it was announced that Television Broadcasts Limited had won the franchise.<ref name="wireless">{{cite news|title=Wireless TV franchise|work=South China Morning Post|date=26 January 1966|page=1}}</ref>

=== Opening ===
The new Television Broadcasts Limited station at 77 [[Broadcast Drive]] in Kowloon Tong, Kowloon was officially opened by Governor [[David Trench]] on 19 November 1967. The governor spoke of the potential for television to better society, stating that the new station would play a significant role in "helping and enlighting our people", calling television "one of the most potent means of disseminating information there is".<ref name="openstelevision">{{cite news|title=Governor opens television station: Stresses importance of enlightening people|work=South China Morning Post|date=20 November 1967|page=6}}</ref>

The first images shown on the station were a live transmission of the [[Macau Grand Prix]], which began broadcasting at 9:00 am that day and was interrupted by footage of the opening of the new station. The first colour broadcast was then made, a feature called "London Calling Hongkong" which constituted greetings from former governors [[Alexander Grantham]] and [[Robert Black (colonial administrator)|Robert Black]]. Following this was a piano recital by Chiu Yee-ha, who had also performed at the opening of the [[Hong Kong City Hall]].<ref name="openstelevision"/>

The new station broadcast both Cantonese-language and English-language channels. The Cantonese channel, called TVB Jade, began regular service on 4:30 pm that day on Channel 21, while the English service (TVB Pearl) began at 6:00 pm on Channel 25.<ref name="gift">{{cite news|title=Gift for first baby born on Sunday|work=South China Morning Post|date=15 November 1967|page=7}}</ref> The inaugural programming lineup included ''[[Enjoy Yourself Tonight]]'', a Chinese language variety show, and ''Meet The Press'', an English current affairs programme.<ref name="openstelevision"/>

=== Infrastructure development ===
Hong Kong's mountainous topography posed a challenge to TVB, which was Hong Kong's first television station broadcast wirelessly, using a terrestrial television transmitter instead of a complex coaxial cable network. A network of transmitters, built atop various mountains, helped provide coverage to the territory. The main transmitter was built at [[Temple Hill (Hong Kong)|Temple Hill]], above Kowloon, to reach most of the main populated centre of Hong Kong as well as parts of the New Territories.<ref name="buildingbooster">{{cite news|title=HK-TVB building booster transmitters|work=South China Morning Post|date=16 February 1968|page=7}}</ref> Two [[broadcast relay station]]s were came into operation on 15 May 1968: one at [[Lamma Island]] expanded coverage to Pok Fu Lam, Aberdeen, Repulse Bay, and parts of Stanley, while another at [[Castle Peak, Hong Kong|Castle Peak]] covered Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, and Ping Shan.<ref name="widecoverage">{{cite news|title=Wide coverage of HK-TVB's translators|work=South China Morning Post|date=29 June 1968|page=16}}</ref>

A third booster station, located on [[Cloudy Hill]], was activated in June 1968 and brought TVB reception to Fanling, Taipo, and Sheung Shui.<ref name="newtranslator">{{cite news|title=New translator station|work=South China Morning Post|date=4 June 1968|page=5}}</ref>