【英语生活】香港没有免费的世界杯

For the first time, soccer fans in the U.S. can watch every single World Cup match. Such is the norm in Europe, and in mainland China.

Football crazy Hong Kongers who live in buildings with satellite antennas might've tuned in to mainland China's CCTV, but now that loophole is being sewn up.

In Hong Kong, the subscription service i-Cable won the legal rights to show every match. For those who don't subscribe to i-Cable, the only local viewing option was a pair of free stations that will air two semifinal games and the final (they also showed the opening game on Friday). Even North Korea has made it easier to watch the World Cup: its state broadcaster has aired footage from three games so far, though not surprisingly it skipped the South Korea and U.S. games. (South Korea's SBS TV, which has refused to share its feed with the North as it did in 2006, called the latest broadcasts an 'act of piracy.')

So many Hong Kong residents were left with CCTV. But, according to the Associated Press, the Hong Kong government said it asked local buildings with satellite antennas last week to block out CCTV's World Cup coverage, warning that violators 'may attract civil liability' for copyright infringement.

Foiled again! So what choices are left for Hong Kongers? You can overcome your social anxiety and head to your favorite sports bar, rent a karaoke room at Neway, take your beach chair to the mall, or - not that we recommend it - search for a grainy feed online. At least you'll be able to hear the vuvuzelas.

美国的足球迷们终于可以收看世界杯的每一场比赛了，这还是第一次。而在欧洲，在中国内地，这其实都是一件稀松平常的事。

AFP/Getty Images周一，澳大利亚球迷在墨尔本一家影院观看3D转播形式的澳大利亚与德国队的世界杯比赛为足球而疯狂的香港人，如果是住在安了卫星信号接收器的房子里，或许曾经把频道调到内地的中央电视台(CCTV)，但如今这个漏洞也要被堵上了。

付费电视运营商有线宽频(i-Cable)获得了在香港播出每一场比赛的法定权利。对那些不订阅有线宽频的人来说，在香港本地观看世界杯的唯一选择就是两家免费电视台，它们将播出两场半决赛和决赛（上周五也播出了揭幕赛）。就连朝鲜看世界杯也更容易一些。到目前为止，朝鲜中央电视台已经播出了三场比赛的录像，只不过毫不意外地略过了韩国队和美国队的比赛。（韩国SBS电视台像2006年一样，拒绝为朝鲜提供电视信号。它说，朝鲜最近播出这些节目是一种“盗版行为”。）

于是很多香港居民只能看央视了。但据美联社(Associated Press)报道，香港政府说，它在上周要求香港本地装了卫星天线的建筑屏蔽央视的世界杯报道，违者可能会因为侵犯版权而承担民事责任。

这也不行！香港人还有什么选择呢？你可以克服社交恐惧症，跑到自己喜欢的体育酒吧，在Neway租一间K歌房，或者搬一张沙滩椅去购物广场坐着看，要么在网上搜索一个满是噪点的视频直播（不推荐）。至少你将能够听到南非球迷特有的加油装备“呜呜祖拉”的声音。