Ronald Y C Chiu

Mr Ronald Y C Chiu

Honorary University Fellow (2012)

Mr Ronald Chiu is a global visionary in broadcast journalism whose professional service has a long lasting impact upon media relations and freedom of expression in Hong Kong.  He is currently Executive Director of i-Cable News Ltd. and i-Cable Sports Ltd..
 
Mr Chiu graduated from the Hong Kong Baptist College in 1975 with a Diploma in Communication, and joined Commercial Television as a news reporter.  Within a few years he was a News Sub-editor and Producer at Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), reporting local and international stories covering a range of topics including politics, social issues, sports, and finance. His communication skills led to swift promotions first to Senior Reporter and then Chief Reporter at TVB.  Mr Chiu also gained first-hand experience of news broadcast at the time by working as an anchor for TVB’s Chinese language newscast.  This was a period of intense change in the broadcast industry, with new media technologies offering audience’s access, for the first time, to real time reporting.  He saw how the industry could be transformed by round the clock access to information.  He also recognised the need for greater collaboration between international news networks, and served as an industry leader in strengthening multilateral co-operations.  In 1991 Mr Chiu joined Wharf Cable (now i-Cable) as a consultant and when, two years later, they were awarded a broadcast license, he was appointed Assistant News Controller.  Mr Chiu was promoted to News Controller at Cable TV.  In 2002 Mr. Chiu became Executive Director at Cable TV, where he headed the News and Sports Division, and was responsible for setting the highest professional standards for his staff of over 500.
 
It is no exaggeration to say that during this professional service Mr Chiu has brought the world to Hong Kong, and Hong Kong to the world.  While at TVB some of his most famous overseas assignments included the return of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt in 1982, the exodus of the so-called boat people from North Vietnam in 1988, the attempted coup in the Philippines in 1989, the June 4 Incident in China in 1989, and the collapse of the Soviet bloc in 1991.  Mr Chiu is distinguished as a pioneer in the early and successful adoption of new technology.  He was one of the first to see the revolutionary potential of live news broadcasts and, in 1992, was part of the team that successfully launched the world’s first 24-hour Chinese news channel.  In 2002, he launched the first fully digitized operated news centre.  With such global leadership over a distinguished career of 37 years it is unsurprising that Mr Chiu has earned the respect of viewers and fellow broadcast journalists, both at home in Hong Kong, and internationally.  Mr Chiu’s professional service was honoured in 1988 by his receipt of the PATER Award and in 1990 by his receipt of the Gold Medal from the New York Television and Film Festival Awards.
 
Today Mr Chiu continues to be a leader in Hong Kong media development, and on campus. He has served the Hong Kong News Executives’ Association for 20 years and is currently Chairman. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Hong Kong Press Council.  He returns to his alma mater often, where he acts as a mentor for aspiring journalism students, offers guest lectures, and contributes his expertise as an advisor for course development.  To recognise these contributions, he was presented with the Distinguished Alumni Communicator Award (Journalism and Media) by the School of Communication in 2009.
 
Mr Chairman, in view of Mr Chiu’s long and distinguished service to the news industry, his leadership in broadcast journalism, the respect with which he is accorded in Hong Kong society in general, and his ongoing support to the University over many years, it is my privilege to present Mr Ronald Chiu to you for the award of the Honorary University Fellowship.