The Journalist Association publishes its annual report on freedom of speech: the tendency to rectify the media is becoming more apparent and promotes respect for editorial independence

The Hong Kong Journalists Association today (15th) released the 2021 annual report on freedom of speech, entitled "Broken Freedom".

Yang Jianxing, the editor-in-chief of the annual report, said that the media environment in Hong Kong has deteriorated rapidly in the past year. "Freedom is fragmented under totalitarian governance." According to the report, the funds were finally frozen in 26 years and therefore the operation was suspended. Hundreds of employees were unemployed. After that, some online media removed previous reports, reflecting that the censorship situation will continue to deteriorate.

He was concerned that Chief Executive Carrie Lam and the senior officials who took office recently plan to enact a fake news law and regulate the media. Together with the tightening of searches, "the tendency to rectify the media has become clearer."

The Hong Kong Journalists Association today (15th) released the 2021 annual report on freedom of speech.

(Photo by Zheng Qiuling)

The annual report is divided into six chapters, including pointing out that Hong Kong under the National Security Law is full of red lines, and the government’s plan to enact a fake news law is like adding a knife.

The annual report also pays attention to the many difficulties that journalists are facing when accessing public registers. In addition to amending the law to prohibit media searches, the Immigration Department, Transport Department, Companies Registry, Buildings Department, and Electoral Affairs Department have also refused to release the data by changing the code.

One of the chapters focused on the Hong Kong and Taiwan rectification incident, which was analyzed by senior media person Ou Jialin, and the former cable news deputy interview director Lin Miaoyin reviewed the general remarks incident.

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The editor-in-chief of the annual report Yang Jianxing mentioned that there is an "imbalance" phenomenon in the society. It is obvious that organized media or political parties have mobilized public opinion to create political pressure on certain issues, such as the false information law. The government took action after hearing a "calling" complaint.

Different from news organizations that can tolerate different attitudes in the past, "voices have become one-sided", and more and more people in society are afraid to express their opinions. As recent events can be seen, such as the Causeway Bay assassin case, if they hold different opinions, That is, people in power and members of the Legislative Council are criticized, so that no matter how high the status of social talents are, they do not want to be involved in the turmoil, which makes journalism more difficult. When a certain social phenomenon occurs, no one can find anyone to analyze.

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The Chairman of the Association of Records, Chen Langsheng, urged the government to explain clearly the intention to legislate for "fake news", the relevant content criteria, and whether an implementation timetable has been prepared. He questioned that Chief Secretary for Administration Li Jiachao and Secretary for Security Tang Bingqiang often put "fake news" on the list. On the lips, they have no professional training and journalistic experience.

He mentioned that many journalists and commentators have recently left Hong Kong, which has had a great impact on the industry, but he is gratified that there are still many colleagues who stick to their posts and encouraged "Hong Kong needs news, and citizens need truth."

The Association of Journalists has six appeals in its annual report, including that the National People’s Congress should adapt to the times, consider Hong Kong people’s worries, review the situation in Hong Kong after the implementation of the "Hong Kong National Security Law", and study amendments and supplementary provisions. In particular, the media can use the public interest as a reason for reply. Protect the freedom of the press; 2. The government resumes the past search arrangements to allow media interviews to function as a monitoring society; 3. The government’s research on handling "false information" in the form of legislation should be shelved, and public awareness of false information should be raised through education and publicity. 4. To cancel the amendments made to the content of “media representatives” in the General Police Regulations to truly cooperate with the media interview work; 5. The government should speed up the formulation of the Freedom of Information Law and the Archives Law to empower the public The true statutory right to know and the right to access files; and six, stop suppressing Radio Hong Kong and respect the autonomy of editors and editors.

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