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| March 2000 Heung Shu Fai Meet Mr. ameoba By Janet Chan Article from the same
section: Mr. Heung Shu Fai has been highly mobile in his career. His jobs have ranged from banker and marketer to columnist and programme host. After getting his economics degree at The Chinese University of Hong Kong and a master’s degree in Bangkok, Mr. Heung went into commercial banking, investment banking and venture capital in 1974. In 1990, he worked with Mr. Jimmy Lai of Next Media on its establishment. Mr. Heung was dedicated to the marketing strategy of Next Magazine. Since then, he has been involved in the media business. He also has been associated with major publications in Hong Kong such as Sing Tao and Ming Pao. From 1996 onwards, Mr. Heung began to concentrate on his own media and investment consultancy businesses. But he never quit the media business. Instead, he became a freelancer. He is now writing a column for Ming Pao and hosting the City Forum for RTHK. Question: How would you compare working in the business field and the media? Answer: I must say those who work in the business field are more intelligent than those who work in the media. As far as I know, the most brilliant people in Hong Kong are concentrated in the financial fields. They are far more professional, compared to those working in media management. That’s why I entered the media field in 1990 with Mr. Jimmy Lai because both of us were confident in making a success. Q: What do you think about media performance nowadays? What do you think about the idea of setting up a press council? A: The media is a sort of business. It is and has to make money. It is always difficult for circulation revenue to cover the costs. Therefore, media organizations have to rely heavily on advertising revenue. But are sensational reports the appropriate way out? Obviously no. But its origin is the readers’ tastes. They like gossip and can’t help buying and watching those papers and programmes. At the same time, they keep on criticizing the media. The five dollars spent on the paper is virtually a favourable vote for the media. I tend to be selective in reading news after my engagement in the media. I can’t see the need of setting up a press council. I believe in market mechanisms. The consumers, including you and me, are in fact the readers. If we are really stupid enough to let the media be so “messy”, we deserve it. Q: How did you develop your interest in horse racing? Why do you visit the racecourse every Saturday? How do you see horse racing? A: My father likes horse racing very much. He went to the racecourse every weekend, which somehow affected me and made me develop an interest in horse racing. I started learning horse racing when I was still a primary student. As I got older, I joined the Jockey Club and applied for ownership of a horse. To me, visiting the Race Course is only a kind of socialization and way of releasing stress. It is a buffer. Some people have negative feelings towards horse racing. But if people have these negative feelings towards others simply because somebody loves horse racing, I can just say that they are hypocritical. After all, I am not addicted to gambling. Q: Even with a busy life, you still spare time to participate in the Alumni Association of New Asia College at the Chinese University. Why? A: I love my college. My college life enriched me. But to be frank, I need to build up social networks for my business. I need to exchange information that depends greatly on the social connections with others. Sophisticated personal relationships in the business fields made me miss school life very much soon after graduation. Friendship in school is always pure. |
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