Hong Kong’s free media has been almost entirely dismantled by government crackdowns, according to a new report, clearing the market for an expanded pro-Beijing and state-owned media sector.
The report by UK-based advocacy group Hong Kong Watch came shortly after Hong Kong’s Foreign Correspondent’s Club announced it was suspending its Human Rights Press Awards because it did not want to inadvertently violate the city’s sweeping national security law, which was imposed in 2020 on Beijing.
The working environment for local and foreign journalists in Hong Kong has become increasingly difficult, said the report, which details the widespread use of “lawfare” against journalists — including the national security law — intimidation and police violence, mass layoffs and government intervention or censorship of outlets. It cited the police’s redefinition of what constitutes a journalist, the impending introduction of a fake news law, and the criminalization of traditional research methods.
Since the pro-democracy protests of 2019, a crackdown has resulted in the shutdown of Apple Daily, Stand News, and others. Sources and citizens now fear retaliation or legal repercussions for speaking to journalists. Government intervention in RTHK has stripped the public broadcaster of its former editorial independence, and a chilling effect has spread to the remaining media, with some engaging in alarming self-censorship.
In one example, Chris Wong – a former TVB news anchor – described to Hong Kong Watch his attempts to cover the November 2019 attack on pro-democracy councilor Andrew Chiu, who had his ear bitten off. The attack was evidenced by clear photos and video, the report said.
“The script that the editor provided said that somehow Mr. Chiu’s ear fell off naturally,” Wong said. “Nobody did anything, it wasn’t a bite, and the ear just fell to the ground. The editors didn’t want to cover the violence by pro-Beijing ‘blue’ supporters.”
Wong also said they were ordered to call protesters “blackshirts” and not to cover their press conferences while they were completely shut down by police.
“Unfortunately, TVB has damaged the reputation of its journalists and because of TVB’s reputation, all former employees live and work under a lot of public criticism.”
The report also detailed several acts of police violence against journalists during the protests, including some that appeared to be targeted.
“We were sitting on the ground with our gear off, our masks and helmets and other protective gear,” a photojournalist told the South China Morning Post of a protest. “The police came and sprayed tear gas directly at us. The hatred that the police showed towards the media was shocking.”
The silence and intimidation of Hong Kong’s media scene has been aided by pro-Beijing media outlets, which are now benefiting from the scaled back industry, the report said.
“Given the lack of pro-democracy media, it’s worth pausing here to consider the implications of eroding press freedom and how it creates further space for the pro-Beijing media,” the report said, blaming the media , “to conduct propaganda for the Chinese Communist Party regime and the Hong Kong government and threaten their critics, both in print and through various forms of harassment.”
“I think we saw an encouragement from them,” said Benedict Rogers, director of Hong Kong Watch, citing recent moves by Ta Kung Pao, full pages of attacking the church, church schools, Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen and Hong Kong watch to devote.
“It struck me as a kind of escalation and encouragement. They always go after people like me and people in Hong Kong from time to time, but I’ve never seen full-page spreads.”
The report also drew attention to claims by former Stand News editor and Hong Kong Journalists Association chair Ronson Chan that he was shadowed by a Ta Kung Pao reporter before the newspaper ran a front-page article accusing him was found to have visited a sex worker. In March 2020, Ta Kung Pao released a list of artists and arts organizations allegedly linked to anti-government activists, including artist Kacey Wong, who later fled to Taiwan.
The report also accused the newspapers of publishing “propaganda”, including descriptions of the 2021 Legislative Council vote, which is said to be “the most successful since the handover” despite a historically low turnout of around 30%.
The general public can currently still get news from remaining free media and international outlets, Rogers said, “but in terms of Chinese-language local media, they really have a much narrower choice and the danger then is that they have information filtered through the media lens.” by Beijing’s propaganda.”
In the report, Hong Kong Watch called on international governments to offer ways and help to fleeing Hong Kong journalists who want to emigrate and to continue overseas Cantonese-language media. It also called on governments to use Magnitsky-style sanctions and other forms of pressure to encourage the Hong Kong government to restore media freedom.
“The international community must not allow those responsible for these violations to go unpunished and without consequences,” it said.