#Propaganda #MainMelody
"Perfect Harmony": A July 1 without #AppleDaily and Annual Pro-democracy March

July 1, 2021 marks the 24th year since Hong Kong was handed over to China, and is also the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (#CCP). It is also the first July 1 after the outspoken #AppleDaily was shut down and the annual pro-democracy march has been banned by the police.

The headlines of the remaining printed newspapers in the city sing praises in "perfect harmony" for the CCP and the HKSAR.

A full-page ad adorned the front page of Ming Pao, Economic Journal, Oriental Daily, Sing Tao Daily, Hong Kong Economic Times, South China Morning Post, all wishing the SAR and the Party a happy birthday.

#July1Protest #Newspaper #MediaLandscape

Source: Stand News #July1
https://www.facebook.com/standnewshk/posts/4303698696382384

#Journalism #Professionalism
Stand News Roll Out New Strategies to Protect Journalists and Readers

On June 27, 2021, online news outlet #StandNews issued a statement stating that they will take down articles published before and during May 2021 and will stop receiving sponsorship.

The decision was announced following the shutdown of the city's pro-democracy newspaper #AppleDaily.

Six directors of the parent company, including Ka Fai Yee (余家輝) ,TC Chow (周達智), Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee (吳靄儀), Denise Ho Wan-see (何韻詩), Christine Fang Meng-sang (方敏生) and Joseph Lian (練乙錚), are resigning from the board.

The news outlet indicated that they will continue to operate. The remaining two chief editors, Tony Tsoi and Apple Daily’s former associate publisher Chan Pui-man's husband Chung Pui-kuen (鍾沛權) will remain in office.

In the statement, Stand News pointed out that in order to avoid wasting supporters' donations in the event of an incident, they would pause patronage and immediately suspend the monthly member sponsorship program. They will also stop accepting new members and new sponsorship.

Stand News wrote that because of the approaching literary persecution, the company decided to temporarily take down blog articles, re-posted articles and reader contributions published before May 2021; while continue to back up the content of the website.

According to the current financial reserve, it is sufficient to meet the expenses for the next 9 to 12 months.

The news outlet indicated that since May 2021, the employment contracts of employees who have been employed for more than six months were terminated. Their annual salary was settled at an amount higher than the compensation required by law, and their contracts were re-signed at terms no lower than the original ones.

Stand News called on supporters in their statement to redirect their current support to other independent media outlets, freelance journalists, commentators and journalism organizations that uphold freedom of speech and press in Hong Kong.

Source: In-Media HK #June27
https://bit.ly/3vYb2sz

#MediaLandscape #Journalism #HongKongMedia

#PressFreedom #MediaLandscape
Another Talk Show Host Replaced after Pro-China Management Takes Over #NowTV in Hong Kong

Source: Stand News; #Aug20

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

#PressFreedom #MediaLandscape
Another Talk Show Host Replaced after Pro-China Management Takes Over #NowTV in Hong Kong

Now TV News has seen yet another personnel change since Bill Chan Tit-piu, former managing editor of the pro-China TVB News, took over as the head of Now News last June. The latest change involved Max Wong, host of the current affairs programme “News Magazine”.

Jacqueline Pang, a co-host of the programme, posted a photo of Wong and herself on her Facebook page, confirming that Wong will no longer host the programme.

Sources claimed that the newly-arrived Bill Chan once tried to persuade a guest host, Jacky Fung Chi-chen, to reprimand the Council of HKU for tabling a motion to mourn #LeungKinFai who knifed himself after stabbing a police officer on 1 July this year.

Fung refused to comply with Chan's demand, and was soon replaced by Dr Xu Jin of HK University Centre for Asian Studies.

Source: Stand News; #Aug20

https://www.thestandnews.com/politics/a-now-%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E6%99%82%E4%BA%8B%E5%85%A8%E6%96%B9%E4%BD%8D%E5%86%8D%E6%8F%9B%E4%B8%BB%E6%8C%81-%E6%99%82%E4%BA%8B%E8%A9%95%E8%AB%96%E5%93%A1%E7%8E%8B%E6%85%A7%E9%BA%9F%E9%9B%A2%E4%BB%BB

#PoliceState
Next Digital Directors Resign to Protect Staff: "When the freedom of expression has been eroded, no rights can be guaranteed"

#NextDigital is the parent company of #AppleDaily, a pro-democracy newspaper in Hong Kong that has been forced to shut down by the authorities in June 2021.

In the past few months, the Hong Kong police arrested the executives, editors and writers of Apple Daily; and charged the company's former CEO Cheung Kim-hung and Apple Daily editor-in-chief Ryan Law of breaching national security.

On Sunday, September 5, 2021, all four directors of Next Digital including chairman Ip Yut Kin announced their resignation in order to protect shareholders, creditors, employees and former employees.

In the statement, the directors pointed out that an orderly liquidation would serve the best interests of shareholders, creditors, staff and other stakeholders. Since the Hong Kong government has frozen Next Digital assets, the company cannot even pay the salary of their newspaper staff.

The latest statement of Next Digital also pointed out that "the Hong Kong government has never indicated which articles published by Apple Daily allegedly violated the National Security Law."

Next Digital condemned the government for spreading white terror, "This uncertainty created a climate of fear, resulting in many resignations among the remaining staff at the company in Hong Kong."

In closing the statement, the directors thanked all Apple Daily readers for not just their support, but also sharing their values and beliefs.

"You entrusted us with the work of journalism. You know well the free flow of information is key to a free society and a free market."

The statement also warned solemnly, "When the freedom of expression has eroded away, no rights can be guaranteed."

Source: Stand News; RTHK #Sept5

#Conscience #Integrity #MediaLandscape #JimmyLai

#Statement
#HKJA expresses deep concern on the arrest of directors and senior staff of #StandNews

The national security police arrested at least six current or former directors and senior staff of The Stand News on Dec 29 on suspicion of “conspiracy to distribute seditious publications” and are still searching the offices of Stand News on the late morning.

In a statement, the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) is "deeply concerned that the police have repeatedly arrested senior members of the media and searched the offices of news organizations containing large quantities of journalistic materials within a year."

The HKJA also "urges the government to protect press freedom in accordance with the Basic Law."

In addition, HKJA expressed that it "has learned that Ronson Chan Ron-sing, the deputy assignment editor of Stand News and the chairman of HKJA, was also taken away by the police this morning. We are investigating the incident and have no further comment at this time, but will announce any new information in due course."

Source: InMedia; Hong Kong Journalists Association #Dec29
https://www.hkja.org.hk/en/statements/statement-hkja-expresses-deep-concern-on-the-arrest-of-directors-and-senior-staff-of-the-stand-news/

#PoliticalOppression #FreedomOfSpeech #Crackdown #PressFreedom #MediaLandscape #PoliceState #Regime #Arrest

====
Related News:

Hong Kong National Security raid pro-democracy newspaper, arrested 6 senior staff
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31751

Hong Kong Authorities' #Crackdown on #StandNews
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31752

#StandNews #Crackdown
Stand News: Operation ceased; social media accounts will be removed

Full translation of the announcement:

Today (Dec 29), Hong Kong Police arrested a number of our current and former management staff, and took away others for investigations. Police has also confiscated a number of computers and documents from our office. Stand News has offered help to the affected staff.

In light of these circumstances, Stand News will cease operation immediately; updates to the website and all social media are also stopped immediately, and will be removed within the day. Acting chief editor Lam Shiu-tong has already resigned; all Stand News staff are immediately laid off.

Stand News, formerly House News, was established in December 2014. Operating according to non-profit principles, it makes its stand on the home soil of Hong Kong. Its editing policy is independent, and strives to safeguard Hong Kong's core values: democracy, human rights, freedom, the rule of law, justice, and many more. It ceases operation on December 29, 2021.

We thank all readers for their continued support.

Stand News
2021.12.19

#Dec29 #PoliticalOppression #FreedomOfSpeech #Crackdown #PressFreedom #MediaLandscape #PoliceState #Regime #Arrest

====
Related News:

Hong Kong National Security raid pro-democracy newspaper, arrested 6 senior staff
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31751

Hong Kong Authorities' #Crackdown on #StandNews
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31752

#WhiteTerror #Censorship
Newspaper in Hong Kong States in Editorial: "No Intention to Incite Hatred"

In late December 2021, six former and current senior staff members of Stand News were arrested for "conspiracy to publish a seditious material". The authorities said that it contravened sections 9 and 10 of the Crimes Ordinance.

The former chief-editor Chung Pui-Kuen and the former acting editor-in-chief Patrick Lam Shiu-Tung were both detained and denied bail. Stand News immediately announced to cease operation.

On January 6, 2022, #MingPao, a Chinese-language newspaper in Hong Kong, stated in its editorial that the newspaper has no intention to "incite hatred, dissatisfaction, and hostility" and they are only "pointing out the wrongdoings and suggesting a legal improvement to the society".

Following #StandNews, #CitizenNews and other 5 media have been recently closed down.

The chief-writer in Citizen News Chris Yeung Kin-Hing worried about the unpredictable redline. He was not comfortable to be a journalist as any article, report and interview can be classified as incitement.

Chief Executive #CarrieLam, however, claimed that the number of media registered on the information service department has increased in the past year, when she was asked whether press freedom has declined.

"The shut down of the media is their personal choice that we should not directly connect it with #FreedomofPress. The government and the police force only act in accordance with the law."

The editorial posted by Ming Pao reads:

"Criticism in the journal was to point out the mistakes or weaknesses of the related systems, policies or regulations and aim to correct or to eliminate them with legal improvement. There are no hatred, dissatisfaction, or hostility incitement to the government or other social groups."

Source: InMedia #Jan6
https://bit.ly/3JLmArq

#CarrieLam #YeungKinHing #ChungPuiKuen #LamShiuTung #NSL #CrimesOrdinance #PressFreedom #MediaLandscape