Hong Kong media guide
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Published
Hong Kong has one of the world's largest film industries and is a major centre for broadcasting and publishing.
Although press freedom is enshrined in the city's Basic Law, there has been pressure on independent media, especially under the national security law, which China introduced following pro-democracy protests.
US-based NGO Freedom House says the new law "has amounted a multifront attack on the 'one country, two systems' framework" leading to "the closure of political parties, major independent news outlets, peaceful nongovernmental organisations and unions".
It says this has led to "self-censorship among journalists, changes in editorial content, and a rise in mainland-style practices".
Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), the territory's public broadcaster, had a reputation for independence but in 2021, the government effectively took control of its output.
In 2022, Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai - founder of the pro-democracy Apple Daily paper - was jailed for almost six years for fraud. He also faces national security charges. In 2023, he was among the most prominent of the so-called Hong Kong 47 pro-democracy activists on trial for subversion.
There were 6.6 million internet users by July 2022, comprising 92% of the population (Worldinternetstats.com). Chinese platforms WeChat and Sina Weibo are popular, but not as much as WhatsApp and Facebook.
Press/online
- South China Morning Post - English-language daily
- The Standard - English-language daily
- Ming Pao - influential daily
- Tung Fang Jih Pao (Oriental Daily) - widely-read daily
- Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Po - managed from Beijing, follow Communist Party line
- Wall Street Journal - Chinese edition
- HK01 - news site, in Chinese
- Hong Kong Free Press - news site, in English
Television
- Radio-TV Hong Kong (RTHK) - government-funded
- Television Broadcasts (TVB) - private, terrestrial
- Phoenix TV - private, multi-channel satellite TV
- Sun TV - private, via satellite
Radio
- Radio-TV Hong Kong (RTHK) - government-funded, operates seven networks in English, Cantonese, Mandarin
- Commercial Radio Hong Kong - operates CR1, CR2 networks in Cantonese and mediumwave (AM) station AM 864
- Metro Broadcast - operates Metro Info, Metro Finance and English-language Metro Plus