Newspapers of Hong Kong

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

Overview

Popularity

By a significant margin, the "Hongkong Standard" is the most widely-circulated English newspaper. Among Cantonese newspapers, "Oriental Daily" and "Apple Daily" are the top sellers, while the "Hong Kong Economic Times" is the best-selling financial newspaper. According to independent surveys, "Ming Pao" and "Hong Kong Economic Journal" are the papers most trusted by local readers.

Paparazzi

The fact that "The Sun" and "Oriental Daily" 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, and written to some degree in colloquial Cantonese phrases. This style of writing, as in other markets, is popular with a large section of the public. The content is often exaggerated or outright fabricated in order to claim "exclusives". Although the subjects of these alleged falsehoods have tried to express their dissatifaction through actions such as refusing interviews or even suing the reporters, they have not succeeded in stopping the papers' activities.

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" have 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. [ [http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/news.htm?englishnews&20070903&56&429023 Standard to become free newspaper] - RTHK, 3 September 2007]

Most papers sell at the cover price of HKD$6, except the "South China Morning Post" ($7, while the Sunday edition costs $8). 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. [Diana Lee, [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=63631&sid=18249830&con_type=1&d_str=20080328&sear_year=2008 "Plea to halt newspaper price war"] , "The Standard", March 28, 2008]

Chinese-language newspapers

*"Apple Daily" (蘋果日報)
*"Hong Kong Commercial Daily" (香港商報)
*"Hong Kong Daily News" (新報)
*"Hong Kong Economic Journal" (信報財經新聞)
*"Hong Kong Economic Times" (香港經濟日報)
*"Kung Kao Po" (公教報)
*"Ming Pao" (明報)
*"Oriental Daily News" (東方日報)
*"Sing Pao Daily News" (成報)
*"Sing Tao Daily" (星島日報)
*"The Sun" (太陽報)
*"Ta Kung Pao" (大公報)
*"Wen Wei Po" (文匯報)

"Ta Kung Pao", "Hong Kong Commercial Daily", "Sing Pao", and "Wen Wei Po" are all considered pro-Beijing and pro-government; "Oriental Daily", 'The Sun" and "Sing Tao" are considered as slightly pro-Beijing and pro-government; and "Apple Daily" often takes an anti-Beijing and pro-democracy stance. "Oriental Daily", "Apple Daily" and "The Sun" are known for their sensational style, often gory pictures (e.g. of road accidents or murder scenes), and frequent borderline obscene coverage (including "prostitution guides"). "Ming Pao" and "Sing Tao" are considered as "serious" papers and are favoured by students and intellectuals. "Hong Kong Economic Journal" and "Hong Kong Economic Times" are business-oriented.

English-language newspapers

*"South China Morning Post"
*"The Standard" (formerly, "HK-iMail", and earlier "Hong Kong Standard")
*"China Daily Hong Kong Edition
*"The Sunday Examiner" (Catholic)
*"CareerTimes"

"South China Morning Post" and "The Standard" are both regarded as "serious" newspapers, and generally considered as neutral towards the government, though with the "Post" more "establishment-leaning" and the "Standard" a little more liberal in its editorial stance. "The Standard" now presents itself as a business paper, but also carries general news. From September 10, 2007 it switched to free (advertising-supported) distribution.

The regional English language newspaper "The Wall Street Journal Asia" is also published in Hong Kong; the Asian editions of the "International Herald Tribune" and "Financial Times" are also available in the city.

Free tabloids

*"am730"
*"The Epoch Times" (大紀元時報 - endorsed by the Falungong)
*"Express Post" (快線周報)
*"Headline Daily" (頭條日報)
*"Metropolis Daily" (都市日報)

Free district posts

*"Ming Pao NT Edition" (明報新界專線)
*"Sing Tao Daily - District Post" (星島地區報)
*"Take Me Home"
*"南區新聞"
*"美新報"

Relative reliability

According to the "Reliability of Hong Kong newspapers", research performed by the [http://www.com.cuhk.edu.hk/ School of Journalism and Communication] of the [http://www.cuhk.hk/en/ Chinese University of Hong Kong] in 2001 (results stated below), out of 10, Sing Pao received 6.48 from the public and 5.89 from journalists. Compared to the highest mark, 7.54 of Ming Pao, and the lowest mark, 4.45 of Sun Daily, the reliability of Sing Pao was above average.

Defunct newspapers

*"Chinese Serial" (1853-1856)
*"Sing Tao Evening News" (1938-1996)
*"Eastern Express" (1994-1996)
*"Hong Kong United Daily" (1992-1995)
*"Television Daily" ( - 1995)
*"Wah Kiu Yat Pao" (1925-1995)
*"Hong Kong Today" (1993-1994)
*"Hong Kong Times" (1949-1994)
*"Ching Pao" ( -1991)
*"The Star" (1965-1984)
*"Tin Tin Daily News" (天天日報) (1960-2000)

References

ee also

*Media in Hong Kong, Communications in Hong Kong
*Hong Kong Audit Bureau of Circulations
*List of newspapers,
*Newspapers of Macau
*Newspapers of China
*List of Chinese companies