List of newspapers in Hong Kong

This is a list of newspapers in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is home to many of Asia's biggest English and Chinese language newspapers. The territory has one of the world's largest press industries and is a major centre for print journalism.

Overview

Popularity

The Chinese language newspapers Headline Daily, Oriental Daily News, Apple Daily and Sun Daily have the highest shares in the Hong Kong newspaper market, while the Hong Kong Economic Times is the best-selling financial newspaper. The Standard, a free tabloid with a mass market strategy, is the most widely circulated English newspaper by a significant margin. Its rival, South China Morning Post, has the most paid subscribers among English-language papers in Hong Kong. According to independent surveys conducted by The Chinese University of Hong Kong, South China Morning Post and Ming Pao are the most trusted newspapers in Hong Kong (see below).

Paparazzi

The fact that Apple Daily and The Sun are among those with the highest circulation can be explained by their approach. Both use an informal style, concentrating on celebrity gossip and paparazzi photography. Apple Daily has brash news style, sensationalist news reportage and is known for its anti-government political positions. The Chinese language publications are written to some degree with colloquial Cantonese phrases. This style of writing, as in other markets, is popular with a large section of the public.

Number and price

The number of newspapers in the market has been stable for a long time. There are occasional attempts at establishing new types of newspaper and theme-oriented papers, but most of these new papers cannot compete with the more mainstream papers. However, the entry into the market of free newspapers Metropolis Daily, Headline Daily, am730, and The Epoch Times has spurred competition. In September 2007, The Standard changed its business model from a traditional daily into a free-sheet, distributed in commercial districts like Central and Admiralty.[1]

Most papers sell at the cover price of HK$6, except South China Morning Post (HK$8, while the Sunday edition, Sunday Morning Post, costs HK$10). The economic recession brought about by SARS in 2003 led to some resellers pricing at $1 below the recommended price. According to the HK Newspaper Hawkers Association, the situation has lasted through to 2008, and some 10% of sellers maintain the cut price despite the change in the prevailing economic climate. The Association urges a return to resale price maintenance.[2]

Chinese-language newspapers

Newspapers in Hong Kong are known to follow a particular political stance, with most being either pro-Beijing or pro-democracy. Some newspapers are completely neutral, or are oriented towards finance or religion. A few papers, such as Oriental Daily, Apple Daily, and The Sun are known for their sensational style, such as publishing gory pictures (e.g., of road accidents or murder scenes), and engaging in borderline obscene coverage (including "prostitution guides") on a regular basis.

Beijing leftist

The LOCPG indirectly owns or controls these as well as new media site Orange News.[3][4]

Pro-Beijing leftist

Liberal

Pro-democracy

Financial

Religious

Online only

These are newer competitors mostly operated online and through Facebook.

Free tabloids

Free district posts

English-language newspapers

South China Morning Post and The Standard were once regarded as 'quality press' and neutral towards the government, though with the Post more establishment-leaning and The Standard more liberal in its editorial stance. Since the Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong, the papers have radically shifted their stance. From 10 September 2007, The Standard switched to free, advertising-supported distribution, and since its purchase by Malaysian tycoon Robert Kuok's Kerry Media The South China Morning Post, Hong Kong's newspaper of record,[9] has established itself as a staunchly pro-China, pro-establishment publication. It was announced on 11 December 2015 that Alibaba Group would acquire the South China Morning Post from Robert Kuok, who has owned it since 1993.[9] Alibaba said that the acquisition was made out of the desire to improve China's image.[10]

Hong Kong is also the base of regional editions of foreign English-language newspapers. The Wall Street Journal Asia is published in Hong Kong. The Asian editions of the International New York Times and Financial Times are also published in the city.

Other language newspapers

Relative credibility

In a 2010 survey, the Center for Communication Research[13] at the School of Journalism and Communication of the Chinese University of Hong Kong asked Hong Kong residents to score the credibility of media sources on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being very high credibility). A random sample of 1206 Cantonese-speaking adults was reached by telephone with a 65% response rate, and the scores were weighted by age and sex to reflect Hong Kong's population. The South China Morning Post was the most credible (score: 6.85), while Ming Pao was the most credible Chinese-language paper (score: 6.77). The Sun was the least credible (score: 4.99), and Apple Daily was slightly better (score: 5.27). Oriental Daily News was the median (score: 5.75).[14]

Relative credibility of HK newspapers
Newspaper Credibility (10=very high credibility)
South China Morning Post
6.85
Ming Pao
6.77
Sing Tao Daily
6.53
Oriental Daily News
5.75
Apple Daily
5.27
The Sun
4.99
Rank Newspaper Score (public)[14] Score (journalists)
1 South China Morning Post 6.85 7.67
2 Ming Pao 6.77 7.47
3 HK Economic Times 6.71 6.88
4 HK Economic Journal 6.57 7.03
5 Sing Tao Daily 6.53 6.99
6 Standard 6.5 7.07
7 Headline Daily 5.9
8 Sing Pao Daily News 5.88 6.09
9 Oriental Daily News 5.75 5.84
10 AM 730 5.73
11 Metropolis Daily 5.67
12 HK Commercial Daily 5.56
13 HK Daily News 5.38
14 Wen Wei Po 5.37
15 Apple Daily 5.27 4.88
16 Ta Kung Pao 5.14 5.44
17 The Sun 4.99 4.75

Defunct newspapers

More are listed in the catalogue of the British Library's Newspaper Library.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Standard to become free newspaper – RTHK, 3 September 2007
  2. ↑ Diana Lee, "Plea to halt newspaper price war", The Standard, 28 March 2008, in 2013, the newspapers changed price to $7.
  3. ↑ Betsy Tse (9 April 2015). "Basic Law violation seen as LOCPG tightens grip on HK publishers". EJ Insight.
  4. ↑ "中聯辦掌控聯合出版集團 擁三大書局兼壟斷發行　議員指涉違《基本法》". Apple Daily. 9 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Hong Kong news editor stabbed with cleaver over press freedom protests". The Daily Telegraph. 26 February 2014.
  6. ↑ "Hong Kong: Ex-Ming Pao editor Kevin Lau attacked". BBC News. 26 February 2014.
  7. ↑ Agence France-Presse (2 March 2014). "Thousands rally in Hong Kong after brutal attack on editor". New Straits Times.
  8. ↑ http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1018707/new-evening-post-relaunched-back-beijing-loyalists-election
  9. 1 2 http://www.asiasentinel.com/politics/alibaba-buys-south-china-morning-post-counter-western-bias/
  10. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/12/business/dealbook/alibaba-scmp-south-china-morning-post.html
  11. ↑ http://www.allthathk.com
  12. ↑ http://www.wednesdayjournal.net
  13. ↑
  14. 1 2 "Public Evaluation on Media Credibility" (PDF). Tracking research. Center for Communication Research, Chinese University of Hong Kong School of Journalism & Communication. 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  15. ↑ Old HK Photos
  16. ↑ http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1334656/apples-free-sister-paper-sharp-daily-folds-after-losing-millions
  17. ↑ Chan, Jennifer (12 July 2015). "Hong Kong Daily News shutters after 56 years". Marketing-Interactive.com. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
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