• June 14, 2001

"Millionaire" magic has spread to Hong Kong: The quiz show is helping terrestrial network ATV challenge rival TVB, the ratings leader for 10 years.

Launched May 7, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" is reeling in a 42 percent audience share -- three times better than the show that previously occupied its Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening timeslots.

The game show is now close to topping TVB's ratings, something ATV executives would not have have dreamed of even a few weeks ago.

"The response is enormous," says Hung Shuen-shuen, controller of ATV's World Channel.

ATV's advertising revenues have doubled since the show's launch, with some firms outbidding one another for ad slots on the quiz show.

Hung expects ad revenues to rise even higher once contestants get closer to the grand prize. So far, the biggest winner has been a teacher who took home HK$250,000 ($32,000).

ATV's latest drama series, "To Where H Belongs," is benefiting from its post-"Millionaire" slot, pulling in higher ratings than the channel expected.

- Reuters/Variety