Killing Hong Kongâs free press will harm its economy
Beijing is betting expats will flock to the city despite Chinaâs media crackdown - but business and markets thrive on news.
Suzanne Nossel
Save
Share
The Chinese government is making a high-stakes bid to force Hong Kong âlong an outpost of freedom â into abject political and civic submission while sustaining the territoryâs status as a global hub for finance and a gateway to the mainlandâs vast markets.
But key features of Hong Kongâs cosmopolitanism â its free press, provisions for access to government data, and international media presence â are facing dire pressure and constraints, interrupting the flow of news and information that commerce and culture depend on.
Reuters Cambodia s assault on Mother Nature
Hong Kong s government broadcaster fired an outspoken journalist and began deleting online programming on World Press Freedom Day on Monday, amid an ongoing crackdown on critical voices in the city.
Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), a government department that had enjoyed editorial independence before a draconian national security law banned criticism of the authorities, said it wouldn t renew the short-term contract of Nabela Qoser after her hard-hitting questioning of city officials during the 2019 protest movement.
Management had earlier terminated the permanent civil service contract of TV current affairs anchor Qoser, in a move that was widely condemned as political interference in the media.
Fear Grips Hong Kong s Public Broadcaster shanghaisun.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from shanghaisun.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Fear Grips Hong Kong s Public Broadcaster newzealandstar.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from newzealandstar.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.