Media of Hong Kong
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Media in Hong Kong are available to the public in the forms of: television and radio, newspapers, magazines and the Internet. They serve the local community by providing necessary information and entertainment.
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[edit] Media authorities
Statutory bodies:
- Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority (BA) regulates broadcasters in Hong Kong by licensing and penalties according to the Broadcasting Regulation.
- Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (TELA) is responsible for monitoring television and radio broadcasting to secure proper standards.
- Radio Television Hong Kong, operates as an independent government department.
Non-Governmental bodies:
- Press Council was established in July 2000. The objective of the Council is to promote the professional and ethical standards of the newspaper industry, defend press freedom, and deal with public complaints against local newspapers. It is an independent organization.[1]
[edit] Media regulation
Freedom of the press and publication are enshrined in Article 27 of the Basic Law, Hong Kong's mini-constitution, and are also protected by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) under Article 39 of the Basic Law.
There is no law called "media law" in Hong Kong. Instead, the media are governed by statutory laws. In brief, there are 31 Ordinances that are directly related to mass media. Six of which are highlighted below.
- Registration of Local Newspapers Ordinance (Cap. 268), provides for the registration of local newspapers and news agencies and the licensing of newspaper distributors.
- Books Registration Ordinance (Cap. 142) (Cap. 106), provides for the registration and preservation of copies of books first printed, produced or published in Hong Kong.
- Telecommunications Ordinance (Cap. 106), makes better provision for the licensing and control of telecommunications, telecommunications services and telecommunications apparatus and equipment.
- Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance (Cap. 390) controls and classifies articles which consist of or contain material that is obscene or indecent. Obscene Articles Tribunals are established to determine whether an article is obscene or indecent.
- Broadcasting Authority Ordinance (Cap. 391), provides for the establishment and functions of a Broadcasting Authority.
- Broadcasting Ordinance (Cap. 562), licenses companies to provide broadcasting services and regulate the provision of broadcasting services by licensees.
The rest of the Ordinances are of less importance since they do not aim at regulating mass media, but some of their provisions do affect the operation of media organizations and also the freedom of press.
The passing of Bill of Rights Ordinance (BORO) in 1986 strengthened the protection of fundamental human rights like press freedom or freedom of speech. This has been reflected in the loosening of control over mass media. Laws that violate the principle of press freedom are gradually amended. For example, section 27 of Public Order Ordinance, which criminalized the publishing of false news, was repealed in 1989.
Nonetheless, there are still concerns among the media sector that some existing laws may still undermine the freedom of the press and publication, e.g. Official Secrets Ordinance (Cap. 521) and Public Order Ordinance (Cap. 245).
[edit] Overview
[edit] Legally regulated
Mass media in Hong Kong is regulated by an independent legal system. It guarantees that practitioners can fully utilize their creativity and professional capacity to entertain the public and pose check on the government.
[edit] International
As a world financial centre, Hong Kong attracts mass media all over the world to set up their operations there. Apart from local media, many overseas publications can be found. Foreign broadcasting are treated like regular broadcasts.
[edit] Infotainment
Hong Kong media are run under commercial principles. Market force plays an important role. Ratings largely determine the income of the media organizations. "Infotainment" is often the mainstream product of mass media.
[edit] Promptness
As a product of a commercial city, the media has the characteristics of other commercial institutes- prompt, responsive, quick. For example, when there is a car accident, reporters would arrive at the hospital earlier than the ambulance. The responsiveness is also demonstrated by the keen need for a scoop. In order to get a scoop, reporters may use all their means to obtain news. Reports are often referenced with "sources said".
[edit] Press freedom and responsibility
Government intervention of the press in Hong Kong is minimal. People are free to criticize the government. The mass media is generally independent of any political powers. The media have formed their own professional bodies, e.g. Hong Kong Journalists Association, Hong Kong News Executives' Association, to guarantee non-governmental interference. However, there is a degree of self-censorship, especially with regards to mainland China.
[edit] Private ownership
Apart from RTHK and a few newspapers and magazines, most of the media corporations are private-owned.
[edit] Statistics
As of 2002:
- Daily newspapers: 52
- Chinese-language dailies: 25
- English-language dailies: 4
- English-language newspapers publishing 5 or 6 days a week: 8
- Bilingual dailies: 7
- Newspapers in other languages: 5
- Free-to-air commercial TV companies: 2
- Subscription TV licensees: 5
- Non-domestic television programme licensees: 12
- Government radio-television station: 1
- Commercial radio stations: 2
[edit] Television
Most households subscribe to multichannel pay-TV. Many international and pan-Asian broadcasters are based in Hong Kong, including News Corporation's STAR TV. Hong Kong's terrestrial commercial TV networks, TVB and ATV, can also be seen in neighboring Guangdong Province.
- Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) - private
- Phoenix TV (PTV) - private
- Asia Television Ltd (ATV) - private
- Cable TV (CTVHK) - private
- Now TV (NTV) - private
- HKBN bbTV (HKBN) - private
- Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) - government-funded
[edit] Radio
- Radio Television Hong Kong (RTVHK) - government-funded, operates seven networks in Cantonese, Mandarin and English
- Commercial Radio (CR) - operates CR1, CR2 networks in Cantonese and mediumwave (AM) station AM 864
- Metro Radio Hong Kong (MRHK) - operates Metro Showbiz, Metro Finance and English-language Metro Plus
[edit] Newspapers
[edit] Magazines
- Cheng Ming Magazine] (爭鳴) [1]
- City Magazine(HK) 《號外》
- East Touch
- East Week
- Far Eastern Economic Review
- HIM [2]
- HK Magazine
- The List Magazine
- Next Magazine
[edit] Internet radio stations
These are non-profit and unregulated internet radio stations operated by hobbyists and non-profit organisations. Most of these stations tend to be quite political and influential, although a variety of apolitical programs are gradually appearing in prominence.
[edit] Public space media
[edit] Media organizations
- Sing Tao News Corporation Limited
- Next Media
- Videotage
[edit] Challenges
[edit] Trust
Ethical studies have been conducted by four journalism groups (Hong Kong Journalists Association,[2] Hong Kong News Executives' Association, Hong Kong Federation of Journalists, Hong Kong Press Photographers' Association). They could not deny the fact that the mass media were suffering decreasing respect of Hong Kong citizens. Journalism was no longer seen as a respectable profession. The public had little trust in newspapers. The news industry attributed this phenomenon to the citizens' complaints about the decreasing ethics of journalists.
[edit] Content
The general consensus is that the news industry injects too much violence and pornography into news reporting. Victims were usually celebrities. Stories were exaggerated often violating privacy. A study was conducted by Hong Kong Journalists Association in early 2007 to find that 58.4% of journalists in Hong Kong considered that the degree of freedom of speech had decreased since the handover in 1997. Furthermore nearly 60% of the interviewed journalists also thought that more self-censorship had been practiced then than 1997.[3]
[edit] Incidents
[edit] Apple Daily Chan Kin-hong incident
On 19 October 1998, a woman, together with her 2 children, jumped off a tall building in Sheung Shui and died. The local media quickly turned their attention to the woman's husband, Chan Kin-hong (陳健康). It was alleged that Mrs. Chan committed suicide because her husband had taken another wife from mainland China. Chan then filled the headlines of major newspapers and TV channels, being portrayed as both a disgraceful husband and a living example of trans-boundary marital problems between Hong Kong and mainland China.
During the media's wild chase of the story, the Apple Daily posted a photograph of Chan cuddling two mainland prostitutes in a hotel room. Public resentment against Chan reached its peak, but there was great speculation on how the Apple Daily obtained this picture. The incident sparked cries for a public boycott of the Chinese print and TV media for its "exaggerated coverage",[4] and fierce criticism over its journalists' ethics from other media, academics and the public.[5]
Under massive pressure, Apple posted a whole-page notice of apology on its front page on 10 November 1998, where it admitted to "indirectly" paying Chan HK$5,000 for meals and expenses during the process of reporting, including the fees for the prostitutes, and apologised to the public for its "inappropriate handling".[5]
[edit] Article 23 and press freedom
- Further information: Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23
The legislation to implement Article 23 of the Basic Law, which concerns the prohibition of crimes against national security, was among the most controversial issues since the reunification of Hong Kong with mainland China. Among the laws proposed to implement Article 23, the media were most concerned about the offences of handling seditious publications and unlawful disclosure of official secrets.
There were concerns among the media sector, as well as the legal sector and human rights groups, that its enactment would endanger the freedom of the press in Hong Kong. A march took place on 1 July 2003, where some 500,000 people showed their opposition to the proposals.
[edit] East Magazine Carina Lau photo incident
Some nude photos of actress Carina Lau were distributed in East Magazine, and then Three Weekly in the span of a week. The photos were claimed to be taken in the early 90s when that actress was kidnapped. Though people from all social strata have shouted themselves hoarse to call on citizens to boycott the publications, many bought and read them even while condemning them for corrupting public morality. Those issues sold very well. Media ethics were raised as a hot topic; people investing in or working for "vile" publications were much criticized. As the public pressure grew, East Magazine finally ended publication.
[edit] Easyfinder Magazine Gillian Chung photo incident
In August 2006, Gillian Chung of the local pop duo Twins filed a writ against Easyfinder Magazine for publishing photos of her changing backstage at a concert in Malaysia. This raised another media ethics and aggressive paparazzi concern. And again, the magazine sold well, printing two runs of the magazine, selling out twice.
The Hong Kong Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority received 2875 complaints regarding the revealing photos and the incident was referred to the Obscene Articles Tribunal for further action.[6] On November 1, 2006, Easy Finder lost its appeal against an obscenity ruling on the published article and pictures.[7] The appeal panel upheld the judgement, declaring the article "obscene", and saying it was a "calculated act of selling sexuality which is corrupting and revolting".[8]
[edit] Edison Chen's photo scandal
In January 2008 photographs Edison Chen had taken of himself with Hong Kong celebrities Gillian Chung, Bobo Chan and Cecilia Cheung were spread through the internet. The press was criticised over its blanket coverage (sic), their reporting style, and the appearance of photographs has also been met with public complaints to TELA.[9][10] TELA suspected at least two journals of violating the Obscene Articles Ordinance, and sent copies of issue #936 of Next Magazine and issue #531 of the Oriental Sunday magazine to the OAT for classification.[11] The Tribunal returned an interim classification of "Class I", meaning the magazines were "neither obscene nor indecent", and TELA demanded a full public hearing to review its decision.[12]
In total, 10 people were arrested for the circulation of the images. The actions of the Hong Kong police have raised concerns about violation of human rights and the relationship with powerful media tycoons.[13][14]
[edit] 2008 Tibetan unrest
During the Tibetan unrest of March 2008, due to the censorship and "blackout" policy of the Chinese Government, the Official Chinese Xinhua News Agency had footage. However, local media exclusively obtained unofficial video footage which was re-transmitted by many western leading news agencies including CNN and BBC.
[edit] See also
- Newspapers of China
- Hong Kong Audit Bureau of Circulations
- Communications in Hong Kong
- Media of the People's Republic of China
[edit] References
- ^ Presscouncil.org.hk "Presscouncil." Hong Kong Press Council. Retrieved on 2007-05-05.
- ^ http://www.freeway.org.hk/hkja/
- ^ HJKja. "HKja." Article. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
- ^ Lilian Kwok, "2,300 joined media excess protest action", The Standard, November 11, 1998
- ^ a b Michael Wong, "Lai in front-page apology for Apple's juicy widower stories", The Standard, November 11, 1998
- ^ Hong Kong magazine to be prosecuted in pop star pictures row
- ^ HONG KONG: Twin photograph ruling upheld
- ^ Hong Kong Magazine Loses Appeal Over "Obscene" Pop Star Pics
- ^ Damon Pang & Nikkita Lau (13 February 2008). Suspect granted bail as Edison's return imminent. The Standard.
- ^ Lam treats scandal with kid gloves. The Standard (February 15, 2008).
- ^ Nickkita Lau (February 19, 2008). Govt acts on sex pics. The Standard.
- ^ Mags in the clear over nude pics. The Standard (21 February 2008). Retrieved on 2008-02-22.
- ^ "網民支持發照者 批警方偏袒 學者：網絡暴力作祟", Phoenix TV, 2008-Feb-1.
- ^ "網頁極速蔓延 淫照難盡剷", Wen Wei Po, 2008-Feb-1.
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