Sheng Pinru
James Shing (Chinese: 盛品儒; born December 26, 1976), courtesy name Cheng-ho, is originally from Wujin, Jiangsu, and was born in Shanghai. He is the former Executive Director of Asia Television (ATV),[1] and was dismissed by the Communications Authority in 2013—a decision considered a trigger for ATV ceasing broadcasts in the first half of 2016. He is a member of the Jiangsu Provincial Political Consultative Conference and vice-chairman of the Youth Committee of the World Chinese Business Promotion Association.
Biography
Shing studied at Panyu Club Wah Yan Primary School, where he was classmates with Hong Kong stock commentator Wong Tak-kei. He then attended Pui Ching Middle School, followed by the international S.E.A Canadian Overseas Secondary School located at 166 Boundary Street, which operated from 1984 to 1990. He later pursued high school and university education in Canada, returning to Hong Kong in 1999 to start his career.
Family
James Shing is the grandson of Sheng Yan-yee (Shing Yan-yee), the fourth son of Sheng Xuanhuai, a Qing dynasty politician, prominent Chinese industrialist, and founder of Beiyang University and Nanyang Public School. His father Shing Yuk-fung worked in the real estate business and owned the "Liu Yuan" Hotel in Hong Kong. Wang Zheng, his cousin, became ATV’s major shareholder in March 2010 and appointed James as Executive Director of the board.[2][3]
Career and Controversies
In July 2010, Shing sidelined ATV CEO Hu King-ying, aligned with the Tsai Eng-meng faction, by barring her from ATV premises and communications. Hu deemed the decision unreasonable and considered legal action. Prior to her suspension, she had accused Wang Zheng of interfering in ATV's operations without official approval.
False Report on Jiang Zemin's Death
On July 6, 2011, ATV falsely reported the death of former CCP General Secretary Jiang Zemin during the 6 p.m. news broadcast and changed the channel logo to gray. A special meeting was later held by the LegCo IT and Broadcasting Panel, where Shing issued a 90-degree bow apologizing to the public and Jiang Zemin.
During the hearing, Shing claimed that Wang Zheng, as the main investor, did not control ATV nor interfere with its newsroom independence. Legislator Cheung Man-kwong and Lee Wing-tat accused him of lying and damaging ATV’s credibility.
Dismissal by the Communications Authority
Following the 2011 false news report, the Communications Authority launched an investigation into Wang Zheng’s role at ATV. It concluded that Shing had allowed Wang to unlawfully control ATV and had concealed evidence of Wang’s involvement, including altering meeting records. The Authority ruled Shing unfit to remain a licensee and ordered ATV to remove him within seven days. Shing resigned as Executive Director on August 31, 2013, and was replaced by Roy Kei-bin Lui.
In early 2011, ATV exited the joint audience measurement system with TVB and CSM, opting instead for a University of Hong Kong poll. Based on its own analysis, ATV claimed a 40:60 viewership ratio with TVB, a claim that drew skepticism from industry experts, scholars, and the public. ATV never disclosed its raw data or analysis methods.
Opposition to New Free TV Licenses
In November 2012, ATV organized a protest under the name “Asia Club” against the issuance of new free TV licenses, broadcasting it live on ATV Home and ATV Asia. The Communications Authority received over 2,000 complaints. Shing defended the broadcast as legal and reasonable.
Dismissal of Dissenting Staff
In November 2012, part-time ATV anchor Wu Yin-wing criticized Shing and Wang Zheng in a Ming Pao article. Days later, she and six others were dismissed. While ATV did not comment, Shing denied the dismissals were retaliatory.
Defamation of Ricky Wong Wai-kay
On November 26, 2012, Shing accused Ricky Wong of stealing confidential ATV documents during his tenure as CEO in 2009 to aid his later TV license application. At the press conference, Shing mistakenly said “zhong so gau zi” (a Cantonese expletive) instead of “zhong suo zhou zhi” ("well-known"). Wong denied the allegations and later sued Shing and ATV for defamation. In November 2015, the High Court ruled in Wong’s favor and awarded him HK$1.3 million in damages.
Election Defeat
In 2011, Shing ran as an independent for the Information Technology sector seat in the Election Committee but lost with 113 votes.
Personal Life
In February 2011, Shing was rumored to be dating 2004 Miss Asia winner Lu Jingjing. In July 2012, he was seen in a relationship with 1995 Miss Hong Kong contestant Chan Chai-ping. On November 19, 2014, he married Macau socialite Ceci Choi, with a wedding banquet held in October 2015. The couple has since divorced.