The Hongkong entertainment industry is in dire straits at the moment, with one veteran reporter claiming that there are some 600 artistes who are currently out of a job.

Things are so bad that some have had to rely on financial aid to get by, and Liza Wang even used her platform at the recent TVB Anniversary Awards to call on the broadcaster to give its artistes pay raises once the pandemic dies down.

As a result, TVB has been scrambling to remedy this very worrying situation, and it looks like one of their ways is to do a bit of corporate restructuring at upper management level.

On Thursday (Jan 21), Hongkong media reported that TVB chairman Thomas Hui sent an internal letter to all employees announcing that veteran star Eric Tsang will be taking on the roles of Deputy General Manager and special advisor to the executive committee.

Eric, 67, joined TVB in 1992 and started out as a host before going into acting. According to Thomas’ email, Eric’s responsibilities will include expanding the station’s variety channels, deepening the working relationship between those behind the scenes and in front of the cameras, and cultivating successors to create more job opportunities for young people.

“I am very happy to be able to return to TVB’s big family,” said Eric in a statement. “I hope to combine my experience in the film and television industry with the younger generation’s new ways of thinking and creativity, so that we can nurture more talent and produce high-quality shows that bring joy to everyone.”

Eric previously demonstrated his support for TVB staff when he was invited to appear on a live broadcast to sell alcohol. Instead of accepting any payment for himself, he asked the company to hire retrenched TVB cameramen for the job.

The stream was a hit, reportedly attracting over 10 million viewers and selling a record-breaking 15mil yuan (S$3.07mil) worth of alcohol. Eric was also praised for having a heart of gold.

Also taking on a high-ranking position is comedian Wong Cho Lam, who will serve as Chief Creative Officer and assist Eric in the development of TVB’s variety and infotainment content.

Cho Lam was said to be chosen for his remarkable achievements in the development of online variety shows and e-commerce platforms in China, which demonstrate his familiarity with both traditional and newer technologies. His task is to increase the company’s business opportunities in China and the Greater Bay Area.

In his statement, the 41-year-old thanked Eric for giving him a lot of helpful advice when he first started developing his career in China.

“In recent years, I have learned about how many new digital platforms operate and gotten to know top production teams from all over the world, including South Korea, the United States, and Japan, whose variety shows are very innovative in terms of creative content and technology,” he said. “TVB’s 55th anniversary is approaching, and I hope to bring more positive and innovative entertainment to Hongkong audiences.”

Eric and Cho Lam certainly have their work cut out for them: TVB reported a staggering loss of HK$293mil (S$50mil) in the first half of 2020, so they’re going to need to come up with some really amazing ideas to rescue the station from its slump.

No pressure, of course.

Photos: PBE Media, Eric Tsang/Weibo, Wong Cho Lam/Facebook, Sohu