Hong Kong's political climate is becoming increasingly like mainland China. Since this has not directly affected Hong Kong people's vital interests and daily lives, the general populace has remained neutral on this issue.
This is referred to as the "lukewarm water boils the frog" strategy. That is, in slowly heating water, the frog cannot feel any noticeable change in the temperature; but when it does eventually feel the heat, it is no longer able to jump out of the boiling water and dies. Of the various political climate changes, the control of the media and its self-censorship is the issue that people should worry about most.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) relies on two "sticks" to prosper: the gun and the pen. To retake Hong Kong, it does not need the gun, but it does need the pen and must control the media and persuade them to "self-censor" their content. If Hong Kong's freedom of the press and speech are restricted, they eventually will be suffocated, and finally disappear. At that time, ordinary people's vital interests and their daily lives will be threatened and it will be difficult for them to revolt. It will then be too late for regrets.
Hong Kong's Worldwide Press Freedom Index Ranking Dropped Drastically
Last month, Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) announced its 2006 worldwide Press Freedom Index. International media are very sensitive about this issue. Hong Kong dropped from number 30 last year, to number 58 this year, distant from South Korea (21) and Taiwan (43). The Hong Kong Journalists Association issued a statement in response to this, appealing for the public's attention.
Why Hong Kong Media Are Playing by New Rules
(1) Many media were acquired by large businesses which have ties to mainland China; as such these media are no longer "Public Servants," but private enterprises. They have very close economic ties with China, since China is their benefactor. Among these media, some have mainland government backing, which can even include very sensitive departments like the Ministry of Public Security.
(2) Mainland China now allows Hong Kong electronic media into the mainland, and allows domestic organizations to subscribe to Hong Kong newspapers and magazines. China is a very large media market; their advertising will increase along with the expansion of audiences. This is how the CCP uses their "profits to entice" tactic.
(3) Those businesses that are intimate with the Chinese authorities, supply advertising to certain media and boycott others. This is using business practices to "lure and threaten."
(4) The authorities ban selected media not yet under CCP control that operate without the approved self-censorship or expel their reporters from the Mainland, thus limiting their sources and reports on mainland news.
(5) The CCP suppresses, arrests, and imprisons some reporters. The most striking example is Singapore's Straits Times reporter Ching Cheong, a Hong Kong permanent resident, who was unexpectedly sentenced to five years imprisonment in a closed courtroom for the crime of "revealing state secrets." This is truly a case tried for the purpose of "punishing one as a warning to others."
(6) Besides using profits to entice media owners, the CCP also bribes those in charge of media management with high salaries. In a recent annual report of one media provider, it was discovered that some salaries were as high as three million yuan (US$385,800), even five million yuan (US$643,000), or more. These highly paid newspersons used to work in other media; their viewpoints were more open and they had more professional ethics at that time, but this has completely changed. The business side of this media is not very healthy, and it may even be loosing money, so how could they be so extravagant and generous?
(7) Some left-wing media employees quit their jobs to take high posts in seemingly neutral media companies to control or influence those media outlets' editorial directions. Owners of these media claimed that employing these people was for the purpose of appeasing China; they were able to accurately provide what the Chinese authority wanted.
(8) In the past, frontline reporters were "newborn calves that are not afraid of a tiger" and still had their youthful dreams and purity; most of them were not affected by the media controls and self-censorship. But restrained by their managing editors and assignment editors, their reports are now often revised and altered. During the past year or two, there have also been people dispatched by the Chinese authorities to work frontline news reporting.
It is a fact that media control and self-censorship exist throughout all levels of personnel in many media companies.
Hong Kong still has uncensored media. Undisguised one-sided reports or very obvious self-censorship will be spurned and not welcomed by audiences. Not only is this bad for business, with shrinking readership, but they will also fall into disfavor with the Chinese authorities. Therefore, their means are multifarious; every type of media has its own ways to disguise itself. But one can still perceive many signs that expose the growing control of media and its self-censorship.
Telltale Signs of CCP Media Control
(1) Fabricating "facts" to create rumors, discredit and attack specific targets: The most striking instance was when Singapore Straits Times reporter Ching Cheong was arrested. Some media fabricated stories that he took money from Taiwan, and that he had a lover in Shenzhen (the rumor even provided the name of that woman.) Later on, that woman whom the media quoted came to Hong Kong and sued the media for slander. The media had to settle out of court with an indemnity.
Also some media claimed that Hong Kong Legislative Councilman Leung Kwok Hung hired people to protest. As another example, before the July 1, 2003, march in Hong Kong, some media said that the marchers were paid 500 yuan (about US$60). However, half a million people marched in the parade. It would be impossible to pay so many people.
(2) Failing to report certain events or about certain persons: The most apparent case is news about Falun Gong is completely blocked. All related parades, assemblies, press conferences, regardless of the source (radio, television or print) are all blocked without a trace. Regarding the recent news of organs being harvested from living bodies for profit which has caused great furor internationally, Hong Kong media has not mentioned a word.
(3) As for negative mainland news, media avoid reporting, report lightly or mention it casually, so that it does not attract public attention. In recent years, the human rights movements in mainland China have developed into big news. It should be a social situation worthy of concern, but there have not been any related media reports at all.
(4) "Reprove Trivial Things but Help on Big Issues" is the manner in which the media treat both the Central and Hong Kong governments. In order to deceive readers, they have criticize the government over minor issues to present the façade of neutral standing; on the other hand, they will ostentatiously report certain events favorably for the CCP and Hong Kong governments to help to win over the public and to exaggerate China's supposed "prosperity."
(5) Making news out of nothing, turning trifling matters into major events, stirring up people to gain favoritism, and discrediting pro-democracy groups to suppress their popularity. On the issue of the differences among democratic parties in Hong Kong, reports only cited statements from one side and slander the mainstream faction, thus creating negative effects on the Democratic Party's prestige.
(6) Allowing left-wing writers to take over special columns; knowing clearly the new columns were not well written and not popular. The new writers still publish their articles in the long term. Some of these articles were even scripts directly provided by the Liaison Office of the Central Government. Those authors who do not conform to the control and self-censorship are gradually weeded out and reduced.
(7) Exaggerating the truth of so-called "credibility." Some media brag about their "credibility," but upon careful scrutiny of their "credibility," at best they do not report false news, still, they have not honestly reported the news worthy of reporting. Thus they also deprive the public of its right to know. What kind of "credibility" is it if they have not allowed the public to know what should be known?
How to Open the Closing Door
At this time the control of the media and self-censorship are still restrained by the free market, and so it has not progressed to the same stage as in mainland China. But the situation is getting worse. One day, there will not be open competition among the media. Audiences will be numb and unconcerned about the extent of control or the degree of freedom.
In some areas, communication technology is progressively advancing. The Internet and mobile phone text messaging have had a definite positive influence. Hong Kong has fallen behind in this aspect, and must rise to catch up in order to contend with the control of the media and its self-censorship.
The Hong Kong government has been unwilling to open up the airwaves to the public. Recently, not only did they not issue licenses to private broadcasting stations, but closed and scrutinized them. It is all because of media control and self-censorship.
Hong Kong residents should support the establishment of private broadcasting stations, the more the better!
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