Ip Ka-po steps down as executive director of ATV

After receiving a HK$150,000 fine for late wage payments, ATV executive director Ip Ka-po resigned from the post on Monday night via an official announcement on his blog.He wrote on the blog post that his departure was a result of ATV’s failure to meet the statutory deadline for paying November wages.“I’m left with no choice, but to resign from my position as executive director,” he wrote.“It’s not a perfect ending, but our love and enduring support for ATV, as well as our journalistic professionalism that we’ve demonstrated during hard times, have added a glorious chapter to the history of ATV.”The statutory deadline for the financially troubled broadcaster to pay staff wages for November was due yesterday. The ATV veteran was found guilty on 100 counts of failing to pay wages on time, with a total of 2,000 employees and up to HK$1.13 million in salaries involved.“This is, by far, the greatest stain in my life,” he said on the post.Earlier in April, the troubled broadcaster had been informed by Hong Kong’s Executive Council that its free-to-air TV broadcast licence would not be renewed.