Annual Report

Annual Report 2021

Page 3: Our Mission & Impact Page 10: Staff & Structure
Page 4-7: The Best of HKFP 2021 Page 11-12: Transparency Report
Page 8: 2021 Achievements Page 13-16: Press Freedom Update
Page 9: Placement, Ethics, Impact Page 17-18: How to Support HKFP

Dear readers and supporters,

Over the past year, the HKFP newsroom underwent a transformation – we expanded,
professionalised, moving to a new, larger, private office. We doubled our freelance budget, hired
three new staff, won a SOPA award, and produced almost 150 fully-fledged original features. Our
team covered the first "patriots only" election, Covid-19, the national security law, and we
exceeded our Funding Drive target, bringing 1,000 monthly Patrons online.

But 2021 was also a brutal year for the media industry in Hong Kong, with newsrooms raided,
editors arrested and outlets disbanding in fear. In all, over 60 civil society groups disappeared last
year, all whilst the authorities said press freedom was intact, deeming foreign criticism of
journalist arrests a violation of international law.

Yet we are continuing our work. HKFP was founded seven years ago as a response to press
freedom concerns, but – aside from our 2020 work visa denial – our newsroom has never been
directly troubled by the authorities. This is likely owing to our impartial stance, transparent
funding, and balanced coverage guided by an Ethics Code and Corrections Policy. Press freedom is
guaranteed by the Basic Law, Bill of Rights and security law – it is in our name, and it is on this
basis that we operate.

For these reasons, HKFP staff are united in our commitment to continue our on-the-ground award-
winning reporting. Nonetheless, we cannot be naïve when it comes to ensuring staff safety and
security, protecting sources, and trying our best to navigate unclear legal realities whilst test cases
go through court. We are a Hong Kong news outlet, we love this city, and we have not entertained
the idea of reporting on it from elsewhere. Besides, it is only by being on-the-ground that we can
maintain nuance and accuracy through attending events, press conferences, court cases and
speaking directly with Hongkongers.

But because of the current uncertainties facing journalists, we may make some precautionary
changes this year upon legal advice. Above all though, we will always be guided by the journalistic
tradition, our ethics code, and the day-to-day mission of ensuring accuracy and fairness. And
despite recent events, we do not believe there are any Hong Kong stories we would have to avoid
reporting.

I am happy to present our Annual Report, as we round-up our best coverage, achievements, and
our accounts from the past 12 months. During this coming year, we look forward to covering the
city’s leadership race, the 25th anniversary of the Handover, the pandemic and court cases. And
with your support and readership, the HKFP team will continue to hold the line and press on!

Tom Grundy,
Editor-In-Chief/Co-founder,
Hong Kong Free Press.

hongkongfp.com
Tel: +852 9447-3443.
The Hive K-Town, 6/F, Cheung Hing Industrial Bldg, 12P Smithfield Road, Kennedy Town. 2
 Our Mission & Impact
Founded in 2015, Hong Kong Free Press is an impartial, non-profit, award-
winning English-language newspaper. Run by journalists, backed by readers
and completely independent, HKFP is governed by a public code of ethics.

Pageviews in 2021 Writers since 2015 Raised in 2021 [predicted]

Total pageviews since 2015 Stories published Monthly HKFP donors

#2 on social media among all local English-language news outlets.

382,048 Twitter followers

- 📈 up 34% in 2021. 135,754 Instagram fans
- 📈 up 62% in 2021.

346,358 Facebook followers

- 📈 up 29% in 2021.
2,581 Telegram followers
- 📉 down 7.5% in 2021.
23,173 YouTube subscribers
- 📈 up 15% in 2021.
1,690 LinkedIn fans
11,463 newsletter subscribers - 📈 up 18% in 2021.
- 📈 up 20% in 2021.

Income Spending
8
Income: Million HK$

Other 2021 statistics: 4

• 85% of HKFP readers use English as a first language. 2

• 26% are aged between 25-34; 20% are aged 18-24. 0
• 38% are Hong Kong-based, 18% are US-based. 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

30% Age
25% Gender
Mobile Desktop Tablet
20% Male
15% 35%
65% Female
10%
5%
0% 73% 24.4% 2.5%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
3
 The Best of HKFP 2021
Original features: Our features in 2021 documented Hong Kong’s transformation under the shadow
of the Beijing-enacted security law. We delved into how counsellors and psychologists grappled with
the fear of creeping self-censorship in their practice, how booksellers were reported to the national
security police during the Hong Kong Book Fair for selling politically sensitive titles, and how one of
the city’s last remaining independent bookstores shuttered, citing the political environment.

We also looked at how the city’s filmmakers, publishers and street artists navigated the shifting red
lines, and how some Hongkongers are inking messages of resistance onto their own skin.
The city’s media landscape forever changed last year with the closure of pro-democracy newspaper
Apple Daily. HKFP was at its newsrooms and printing presses on its last day of operations. We also
explored how the city’s Beijing-backed press are gaining more influence.
The year also saw the mass resignations of pro-democracy district councillors after new oath
requirements were introduced. We documented the final days of one local councillor in office and
explored how the exodus of district representatives also left community newspapers struggling.
As protest-related and national security cases piled up in the city’s courts, we spoke with lawyers
compiling a protest case database to preserve the city’s rule of law, the activists writing letters to
detained protesters, and the international lawyers who launched an advice website to inform
Hongkongers of their legal rights. We also spoke with a refugee from Vietnam who was stuck behind
bars for almost three decades after being convicted of murder as a teenager, and eventually decided
to abandon his fight against deportation.
Amid the changes of 2021, a wave of Hongkongers left for the UK. HKFP was at the airport when long
queues formed as people bid farewell to loved ones. In the UK, we reported on the people helping
newly-arrived Hongkongers settle in, as well the pro-China groups pressuring them.

Hong Kong also saw the implementation of a sweeping overhaul of the city’s electoral system. HKFP
gave extensive coverage on the day of the city’s first “patriots-only” legislative election - candidates
made urgent appeal to voters while Hong Kong saw the lowest turnout rate ever.
Following a 48-hour purge of Tiananmen crackdown monuments from university campuses over
Christmas, we also spoke with students, academics, as well as artists behind the statues about what
the removals meant for Hong Kong’s efforts to commemorate those who died in the military
crackdown of student-led demonstrations over 32 years ago.
4
 The Best of HKFP 2021
Our team visited local businesses at risk of forced closure after government-led redevelopments in
Fo Tan and Kwun Tong. Elsewhere, we spoke with the owners of Hong Kong’s remaining iconic Dai
Pai Dongs facing eviction from their community, and the elderly villager fighting to save his home
from developers in the New Territories. We also reported on the opening of the newly-revamped
historic Central Market and the long-awaited M+ museum.

Covid-19 restrictions continued to disrupt Hongkongers’ daily lives last year. We examined
government statistics to question whether the city’s severe quarantine measures were really
necessary, how even vaccinated people were forced into quarantine centres, how foreign domestic
workers faced more challenging working conditions during the pandemic, and the rise in
discrimination against South-East Asians. We also delved into the trend of “vaccine selfies,” how
pandemic-related pressure on airlines led some pilots to accuse companies of age discrimination,
and the plight of those left stranded in the UK during Hong Kong’s months-long flight suspensions.
Our pandemic coverage also tackled how the coronavirus made life even more difficult in the city’s
sub-divided flats, the refugees excluded from the city’s vaccination programme, how local mask
manufacturers survived in an inundated market, and how local businesses responded to the
government-mandated tracing app.
Beyond politics, we delved into the world of polyamory to explore how some Hongkongers navigate
romantic ties beyond traditional partnerships, explored the little-known history of siu mai, met the
bus fanatics turning Hong Kong bus seats into office chairs, and published a probe into one of the
city’s oldest sporting associations. We also looked at how a Muslim headscarf sparked a
discrimination row at a school and how volunteers helped to restore Hong Kong’s Hindu cemetery.

2021 was also a big year for Hong Kong sports. We spoke to local athletes during the Tokyo games
to learn about daily life at the Olympic village, as well as to the city’s Paralympians about their
dreams of sporting glory.
We continued to cover environmental and animal stories last year, including the threat to rare
porpoises posed by a development off Lantau, and the task force fighting against dog poisonings.

Last year, we produced 144 fully-fledged

features, over 35 interviews, 256 opinion pieces
and 276 stories on the 'patriots only' elections.
We have also published over 1,000 stories on
the national security law, and over 1,000 on
Covid-19. HKFP Venture also relaunched with
over a dozen guides to outdoor adventures.
5
 The Best of HKFP 2021
We expanded our coverage from across the Taiwan Strait, profiling the people fighting for dual
citizenship, Hong Kong artists in self-exile, the Hongkongers seeking to contribute to Taiwanese
society, the launch of an ambitious new English-language news platform, and the Hongkongers who
have joined the local movement to revive the use of Taiwanese in daily life. We also spoke with the
Taiwanese maths teacher posting educational videos on Pornhub, cautiously asking: why?

Over the border in mainland China, we reported on a Hongkonger with a history of mental illness
who was executed for drug trafficking despite pleas from family and rights groups. And further afield,
we reported on the Hongkongers fighting for democracy in Myanmar after the military coup.
Explanatory Reporting: HKFP continued its monthly explainer series on how the city has changed
under the Beijing-enacted security law, and we continued our “shifting narratives” series on how the
city’s leaders’ attitude towards the Tiananmen crackdown and the traditional mass pro-democracy
marches on July 1 evolved over recent years.

We wrote explainers on major political developments, including how Beijing overhauled the city’s
electoral system, how authorities moved to erase the memory of Tiananmen, and how the largest
teachers’ union was forced to dissolve. We also explained how Hongkongers still found ways to resist
despite the national security clampdown.
HKFP also examined trends in leader Carrie Lam’s past policy addresses after she delivered the last
one of her current term, analysing what it all meant for the city’s future.
We broke down how Beijing’s overhaul of the city’s electoral process ensured that almost every
candidate for the new Election Committee was guaranteed a seat. We looked at where Beijing’s
national security crackdown has left the city’s pro-democracy camp, and who the approved
candidates were in the city’s first legislative poll following the sweeping overhaul.
Our team also wrote practical guides informing our readers how to sign up for the government’s
electronic stimulus vouchers, how to enter lucky draws for the fully vaccinated, how to get vaccinated
against Covid-19, and how to write letters to prisoners.
Interviews: Last year, we touched in again with Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei about what he saw
as the future of art in the city. We also spoke with Democratic Party leader Lo Kin-hei about the
party’s future in the shifting political climate, and political scientist Ma Ngok on what Beijing’s electoral
overhaul means for democracy in Hong Kong.

At the other end of the political spectrum, we spoke to the founder of the new pro-Beijing Bauhinia
Party Charles Wong, and pro-establishment lawmaker Michael Tien on the future of Hong Kong
politics. We also sat down with pro-Beijing figure Adrian Ho about running one of the city’s largest
pro-establishment online communities. 6
 The Best of HKFP 2021
We spoke with a number of activists before they were put behind bars, including democrat and
labour activist Raphael Wong ahead of his sentencing for an unauthorised assembly, and student
activist Wong Yat-chin before he was arrested and denied bail under the security law.

We also spoke to other dissidents, including former student leader Owen Au about what he saw as
the future of protest in the city and investigative journalist Bao Choy after her conviction over
accessing public records for a documentary on alleged police collusion with triads.
We interviewed dissidents elsewhere in the region, including Singaporean activist Jolovan Wham
about his arrest after a one-man protest. And during the Tokyo Olympics, we were the first
newspaper to catch up with Hong Kong’s only gold medal winner, fencer Edgar Cheung, about how he
kept calm under pressure.
Arts: We also sat down with the city’s creatives, including the director of the protest documentary
“Revolution of our Times” Kiwi Chow about why he is staying put in the city, musician Cehryl on the
impact of Covid on live music, artist Sampson Wong on finding beauty in Hong Kong, and Yim Chiu-
tong, the Plumber King, whose advertisements became part of a street art exhibition.
In Taiwan, our reporter interviewed the island’s only weed lawyer, a politician defending democracy
on Matsu island 17 km from mainland China, and dissident Wu’er Kaixi ahead of the 32nd anniversary
of the Tiananmen crackdown. And we also spoke with Taipei-based singer Kimberley Chen about
shrugging off China’s censors.
Authors: We spoke with journalist and author Joanna Chiu about her new book detailing China’s web
of influence abroad and Western complicity in China’s rise, and veteran journalist Stephen Vines
about his last book on Hong Kong before he fled back to the UK.
‘Patriots poll: Ahead of the city's first "patriots-only" legislative race,
we spoke to three candidates from across the political spectrum
including self-proclaimed non-pro-establishment Adrian Lau, Vincent
Diu, an electrician who declared as independent, and Nixie Lam,
who was seen by her pro-establishment supporters as their
international spokesperson. After the race, we also sat down
with Tik Chi-yuen, the only lawmaker-elect who claimed to be
non-pro-establishment.
Scoops: We broke the story of how mainland Chinese and Hong
Kong Wikipedia users were fighting over the narrative of the Hong
Kong protests on the site, and the ensuing safety concerns for
Hong Kong users. As a result of our report on the Wikipedia wars,
the site banned seven mainland Chinese users for “infiltration and exploitation.”
We found Hong Kong public libraries had removed almost a fifth of titles
relating to the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown from their shelves since 2009, and
that the Bar Association had launched probes into legal icons Martin Lee and
Margaret Ng after their convictions for unauthorised assembly.
We also broke the story of how city authorities spent millions of taxpayer
dollars to lobby Washington against the passing of the Hong Kong Human
Rights and Democracy Act.

7
 2021 Achievements

NewsStream project progress: In 2019, HKFP won a US$78,400

(HK$615,440) Google News Initiative grant to create an open-
source funding platform for small newsrooms focussed on
nurturing reader membership. The funds went to third-party
developers to help create NewsStream - a fundraising micro-site
to reduce barriers and costs for independent news start-ups. Our
new support.hongkongfp.com site finally launched in 2021,
allowing readers to begin, pause and cancel memberships.
Redesign & promotion: The launch
also included a design refresh across
social media and new HKFP Patron
promotions by szs.io.

2021 Funding Drive: With an

accompanying video, HKFP beat its
target of 1,000 monthly Patrons during
our #PressingOn Funding Drive.

TapNGo: As part of our drive to make it as easy as possible to contribute,

we brought TapNGo online, as a new payment method.

2021 expansion: HKFP hired three new

staff at the end of 2021 and moved to a
larger, private office at The Hive K-Town.

Prizes: HKFP won an honorable mention in the 2021 prestigious SOPA awards for
Excellence in Opinion Writing: "Hong Kong’s protest movement in perspective" by Steve
Vines bagged the prize. Meanwhile, our newsroom was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Fundraising: We raised
over HK$100,000 selling
books by columnist Steve
Vines and ethical, organic
#PressFreedom t-shirts.

Football team: The Fall River Marksmen Football Club promoted HKFP with their new kit
design - they raised HK$10,000 for our newsroom selling the kits online.
8
 HKFP Placement & Ethics

✓ No false content.
✓ Avoids deceptive headlines.
✓ Clearly labels advertising.
An Ethics Code, fact-checking
✓ Differentiates news & opinion.
procedures and a corrections policy
✓ Discloses ownership & financing.
govern HKFP's impartial, 100%
✓ Regularly corrects or clarifies errors.
independent reporting. We scored full
✓ Gathers/presents information responsibly.
marks in NewsGuard's credibility
✓ Provides the names, bios, contacts of writers.
assessment, meeting all 9 criteria.
✓ Reveals who’s in charge; declares any conflicts.

Wide impact: HKFP’s reporting was cited by numerous int’l outlets.

No paywall: We will always ensure our news remains accessible & free of charge.

HKFP Apps: Social media & distribution: Syndication:

Apple News

Hong Kong’s 2022 media landscape:

Placement & Impact
Independent English-language news: Chinese-language news (digital):

English-language traditional news (digital/print): [independent bilingual news wire]

Chinese-language traditional news (print):

Outlets closed in 2021-22:

9
 Staff & Structure
The 2022 HKFP core team:
Hong Kong Free Press is structured as a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee, with no
shareholders. HKFP does not answer to any business tycoon, mainland Chinese conglomerate or
media mogul. We are run by journalists, and are answerable only to ourselves and our readers.

Editor-in-Chief Tom Grundy is a British multimedia journalist based

in Hong Kong for 15 years. He has a BA in Communications & New
Media from Leeds University and an MA in Journalism from the
University of Hong Kong. He has contributed to BBC World TV/radio,
Quartz, Al-Jazeera, DW-TV and others.

Associate Editor Mercedes Hutton is a British journalist who has

lived in Hong Kong since 2012. She has a BA in English and Film
from the University of Sussex and is interested in social and
environmental issues. She previously worked at the South China
Morning Post and has written for the BBC.

Reporter Kelly Ho has an interest in local politics, education and sports.

She formerly worked at South China Morning Post Young Post, where she
specialised in reporting on issues related to Hong Kong youth. She has a
bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Hong Kong, with a
second major in Politics and Public Administration.

Reporter Selina Cheng previously worked with HK01, Quartz and

AFP Beijing. She also covered the Umbrella Movement for AP and
reported for a newspaper in France. Selina has studied
investigative reporting at the Columbia Journalism School.

Reporter Candice Chau previously worked as a researcher at a local

think tank. She has a BSocSc in Politics and International Relations
from the University of Manchester and an MSc in International
Political Economy from London School of Economics.

Reporter Hillary Leung has an interest in social issues and

politics. Previously, she reported on Asia broadly - including on
Hong Kong's 2019 protests - for TIME Magazine and covered
local news at Coconuts Hong Kong.

Reporter Peter Lee was Guest Editor Tim Hamlett has

previously a freelance been HKFP’s weekly guest editor
journalist at Initium, since 2015 and writes a weekly
covering political and column. He came to Hong Kong in
court news. He holds a 1980 to work for the Hong Kong
Global Communication Standard and has contributed to, or
bachelor degree from worked for, most of Hong Kong's
CUHK. English-language media outlets.

Hong Kong Free Press would be impossible without the support and assistance
of our countless tech, editorial, accounting, freelance staff and volunteers, and The Hive.
10
 Transparency Report
As Hong Kong’s most transparent news outlet, and as a non-profit company, HKFP is externally
audited annually. Our finalised, audited income during 2020, and our predicted income for 2021:

Income 2021* 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

Reader contributors HK$4,164,565 HK$6,357,972** HK$6,056,859** HK$2,463,408 HK$1,769,760 HK$1,063,125

Ads & content sales HK$198,983 HK$110,247 HK$271,066 HK$136,084 HK$328,759 HK$92,276

Events HK$0 HK$0 HK$263,361 HK$24,390 HK$0 HK$8,352

Bank interest HK$25 HK$10 HK$226 HK$21 HK$1 HK$12

Gov’t Covid subsidy HK$0 HK$216,000 HK$0 HK$0 HK$0 HK$0

Total: HK$4,340,489† HK$6,697,010 HK$6,591,512 HK$2,623,903 HK$2,098,520 HK$1,163,765

*Predicted, not yet audited. **Includes total of HK$610,431 for Google NewsStream grant (assigned to 3rd party developers; cannot be spent on HKFP costs).
†HK$23,084 subtracted as insurance refunds.

5%
Income: 8 Direct support
Income: Million HK$

HKFP is predicted to 6 …the best way of

make a monthly loss of 4 ensuring our
up to HK$100K in 2022, press freedom &
2
but is able to reinvest 95% independence.
its previous surplus. 0
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 All donations
Our current revenue streams: Ad/content sales
Reader contributions: includes one-off & monthly
Surplus carried forward:
Patron contributions by cheque/transfer, cash, PayPal
& card, as well as merch sales profit & shopping 2015 total surplus: HK$91,654
referral links. 2016 total deficit: -HK$45,569

2017 total surplus: HK$445,796

Ads & content sales: includes ad income from display
ads; Apple News & Facebook ads, Google/YouTube 2018 total surplus: HK$574,042
ads, directly purchased rate card ads & content sales 2019 total surplus: HK$3,698,358
[from media outlets, institutions and syndication
partners LexisNexis, Dow Jones Factiva & Nordot.] 2020 confirmed surplus: HK$3,245,356

2021 predicted surplus: HK$522,223

Direct contributions:
• Surplus recycled: As a non-profit, with no
shareholders or investors, HKFP’s surplus was recycled
back into the company for use in 2021. As of 2021,
HKFP is retaining a HK$1.5m legal defence fund in light
of new threats to press freedom.

• Efficiency: HKFP is run as efficiently and prudently as

possible, in order to maximise the impact of our donors’
+ HKFP merch
generosity. We make savings by partnering with other
media outlets, using free software and making full use
Ads & content sales: of teamwork and automation to save on costs.

• Staffing: During 2020, we employed 5-6 full-time staff

members and expanded our pool of freelancers. We
spent 72% of our income on paying our hard-working
+ HKFP rate card direct ad sales staff and freelancers.

Advertising partners since 2015:

11
 Transparency Report
HKFP Patrons in 2021: HKFP relies on a membership model. Small amounts of income from a
large pool of Patrons helps support our team, sustain our operations with more security, and
guarantee our independence. Our monthly income as of January 2022:

HK$204,063
Monthly income from Patrons after fees
1,050
No. of monthly Patrons
HK$194
Average monthly contribution

• The number of HKFP Patrons rose by 20.4% in 2021, whilst 20% rise in HKFP Patrons
income from Patrons rose almost 16% to HK$204,063. Most 1,250
Patrons are from Hong Kong, though we also have backers in
1,050
the US, UK, Australia and China.
850
• In addition to the above, we receive at least HK$10,000 per 650
month from offline donors who contribute via cheque, 450
transfer/FPS or by coin donation via CoinDragon.
250

• Patrons are given priority and/or free entry to HKFP events, 50

merch and our Annual Report. 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Finalised expenditure for our latest audited year, 2020, & our predicted 2021 spending:

Expenditure 2021* 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

Full-time staff payroll HK$1,952,852 HK$1.599m HK$1.606m HK$1.499m HK$1.340m HK$1.035m

Mandatory Provident Fund (pensions) HK$76,442 HK$72,221 HK$68,123 HK$69,234 HK$66,180 HK$50,942

Web & software, newswire, commission HK$140,992 HK$132,269 HK$80,038 HK$129,543 HK$58,693 HK$33,083

Office, sundry, recruitment/training, telecom HK$198,116 HK$109,289 HK$164,256 HK$110,414 HK$57,565 HK$25,801

Meals/drinks for volunteers/staff/sources HK$18,554 HK$18,324 HK$29,686 HK$14,028 HK$17,106 HK$25,531

Legal, professional, registration, audit HK$35,422 HK$96,505 HK$12,340 HK$7,385 HK$45,231 HK$10,845

Travel & insurance HK$4,069 HK$72,391 HK$50,615 HK$78,067 HK$8,169 HK$8,267

Stationery, merch, postage, printing HK$201,534 HK$208,544 HK$42,311 HK$11,827 HK$686 HK$17,124

Bank charges, penalties & exchange losses HK$3,335 HK$13,752 HK$4,240 HK$1,705 HK$1,170 HK$2,218

Freelancer payments & gear HK$934,621 HK$595,693 HK$289,387 HK$64,400 HK$34,090 HK$0

Tax HK$52,304 HK$408,496 HK$509,211 HK$29,816 HK$13,343 HK$0

Advertising HK$78,745 HK$6,914 HK$36,597 HK$34,371 HK$10,261 HK$0

Membership, research/polls, repairs & other HK$25,070 HK$118,800 - - - -

Total: HK$3.79m† HK$3.04m* HK$2.89m* HK$2.04m HK$1.65m HK$1.20m

*Predicted, not yet audited. **As part of its 2019 & 2020 expenditure, HKFP contributed 30% of the cost of its NewsStream Google project, totalling HK$130,204.
†Excludes tax.

Expenditure 2020 expenditure

Staff payroll
4 Tax
Spending: Million HK$

3.5 Freelancer payments & gear

3 Office, sundry & recruitment/training
2.5 Website, newswire text/photo, software
2 Mandatory Provident Fund (pensions)
1.5 Travel & Insurance
1 Stationery/merch & printing
0.5 Advertising
0 Meals/drinks for volunteers & staff
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Legal, professional, registration, audit fees
Bank charges 12
 Hong Kong Press Freedom in 2021
January March
• The Hong Kong government backtracked a • A top Beijing official said the principle of
decision to move Covid-19 press briefings online “patriots governing Hong Kong” extends to the
following criticism from a Hong Kong journalism judiciary, the education sector and the media.
watchdog. • A leading civil servant with no broadcasting
• Police demanded pro-democracy tabloid Apple experience took over as head of RTHK, where
Daily hand over the information on journalists three senior employees quit in the space of
who searched for public vehicle licence plate two weeks.
records. • Hong Kong’s national security police arrested a
• Police visited the newsrooms of Apple Daily, former top executive of Next Digital, the
InMedia and StandNews with search warrants publisher of Apple Daily, over alleged fraud.
demanding documents relating to the primary • RTHK made a last-minute decision to cancel a
election for LegCo in July 2020. programme featuring a panel discussion of
• The head of public broadcaster RTHK, Leung Ka- Beijing’s plans for a drastic election overhaul.
wing, advised staff not to interview the 55 • The Ombudsman said that it would investigate
democrats arrested under the national security the Immigration Department for refusing a
law. work visa to Hong Kong Free Press for its
• Three people convicted of rioting and assaulting a incoming editor in 2020.
mainland journalist at the airport during anti- • Bao Choy went on trial for allegedly violating
government protests in 2019 were jailed for up to the Road Traffic Ordinance in seeking to obtain
5 1/2 years. vehicle licence plate information for a
• Hong Kong journalist Bao Choy pleaded not guilty documentary.
to making false statements after she obtained • RTHK axed another episode of a current affairs
vehicle registration information for a film about programme at short notice, the ninth such
the 2019 Yuen Long mob attacks. cancellation since the new Director of
• The head of the city’s largest police union Broadcasting Patrick Li took office.
slammed RTHK for allegedly biased reporting of a • The government announced plans to restrict
weekend lockdown to combat Covid-19. public and media access to currently available
• The staff union at RTHK staged a silent protest to information on company directors listed in the
support fellow journalist Nabela Qoser, who was Companies’ Registry.
known for her vigorous questioning of officials, • RTHK sought to withdraw its entries from
after she was told to accept a new short-term journalism awards.
contract or face dismissal.
• The Communications Authority ruled that three April
episodes of RTHK’s satirical programme Headliner • RTHK said that the government has the power
insulted and denigrated the police force. to surcharge its employees for the cost of axed
• Three parliamentarians from the Norwegian programmes.
Liberal Party nominated Hong Kong Free Press for • Amnesty International Hong Kong said the
a Nobel Peace Prize. state of human rights and freedoms in Hong
February Kong had deteriorated under the national
security law in 2020.
• RTHK suspended BBC World News after a ban in
China over its Xinjiang reporting. • The public perception of the independence
and credibility of Hong Kong’s news media
• Security officers at the West Kowloon Magistrates’
dropped to a record low, according to an
Courts barred at least two reporters from
attending a trial hearing, to protect the identity of opinion poll.
• Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the
a police officer who had provided a witness
government is the “biggest victim of fake
statement anonymously.
• The High Court refused to grant bail to media news,” after pledging to submit a bill to tackle
“doxxing” within the current legislative term.
mogul Jimmy Lai again over national security law
• RTHK dropped veteran journalist Steve Vines
charges.
• Director of Broadcasting Leung Ka-wing resigned as a regular current affairs commentator on its
Morning Brew programme after more than ten
from his post at RTHK six months before the end
years.
of his term.
• A government report found “deficiencies” in the • The Epoch Times’s printing presses were
ransacked by a gang of men wielding
editorial management of RTHK.
sledgehammers.
• Funding for RTHK was cut by 4.6 per cent in the 13
2021-22 budget.
 Hong Kong Press Freedom in 2021
• Hong Kong journalist Yvonne Tong, who famously • An executive producer who led Hong Kong’s
challenged a WHO official, resigned from RTHK. longest running TV documentary programme
• Reporters Without Borders East Asia warned that Hong Kong Connection resigned from RTHK.
silence from the authorities over an attack on the • Epoch Times reporter Leung Zhen was
Epoch Times is fostering a “climate of suspicion” attacked by a man wielding a baseball bat from
against journalists and “encouraging” violent a passing vehicle.
attacks on the media.
• Assets belonging to media tycoon Jimmy Lai
• Police chief Chris Tang said media outlets that
were frozen by the authorities.
endanger the security of Hong Kong by publishing
• Trading in shares of Next Digital, the parent
“fake news” will be investigated.
• State-owned newspaper Ta Kung Pao in a full- company of Apple Daily, were suspended at
page cover story accused Apple Daily and other the company’s request.
pro-democracy “yellow media” of “constantly • Security chief John Lee denied that the freezing
creating fake news.” of the assets of media tycoon Jimmy Lai
• Reporters without Borders warned that the represented a crackdown on press freedom.
national security law posed a “grave threat” to the • RTHK denied replacing an episode of Hong
city’s journalists as Hong Kong remained 80th out Kong Connection about the proposed shake-
of 180 regions in the 2021 world press freedom up of the city’s electoral system following local
index. media reports that it had been axed.
• RTHK rejected a media award for a TV • RTHK axed a story about the annual
documentary about the police handling of the Tiananmen crackdown anniversary long-
Yuen Long mob attack in 2019.
distance run from its news show “LegCo
• The government criticised a Reporters Without
review”.
Borders report which warned that the national
• WhatsApp chats democrat Claudia Mo sent to
security law poses a “grave threat” to journalists in
the city. media outlets like the BBC and the New York
• Bao Choy was found guilty and fined HK$6,000 for Times outlining her fears for freedom of
knowingly making false statements to obtain speech in the city were deemed by the High
vehicle ownership records for an RTHK Court to be sufficient grounds to deny her bail.
programme.
• Police confirmed that a journalist from Ta Kung
June
Pao was arrested in February for making false • RTHK axed another current affairs programme,
statements to obtain public vehicle records. “Letter to Hong Kong”.
• The Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) urged the • It is announced that media tycoon Jimmy Lai is
police chief to clarify his recent comments about to stand trial on national security charges in
“foreign forces” attempting to stir hatred and the High Court.
conflict in the city using disinformation. • A Hong Kong court ruled that a local female
• Beijing accused the FCC of being an external force reporter was guilty of resisting a police officer
interfering with China’s internal affairs and in the execution of their duties while covering
undermining the city’s rule of law. a protest in Mong Kok in 2020.
• A fifth senior staffer resigned from RTHK. • The Department of Justice dropped a charge of
• RTHK signed up Chief Executive Carrie Lam to improperly accessing public records against a
host her own daily show on Beijing’s electoral
reporter for Beijing-owned newspaper Ta Kung
overhaul for the city.
Pao.
• RTHK axed another episode of a TV documentary
series about online media financed by public • Hundreds of police officers raided Apple Daily
donations. and arrested five senior executives on
suspicion of violating the national security law.
May • Security chief John Lee accused Apple Daily of
• RTHK began removing shows from its YouTube using journalism as a tool to endanger national
channel and Facebook page a year after they air. security.
It deleted its archive of content over a year old. • Two senior executives from Apple Daily were
• The Hong Kong Press Freedom Index hit a record charged under the national security law.
low where close to 99 per cent of respondents • RTHK fired pro-democracy radio host Tsang
said the national security law harmed the city’s Chi-ho.
free press. • Next Digital CEO Cheung Kim-hung and Apple
• RTHK refused to extend an employment contract Daily Editor-in-Chief Ryan Law facing national
for journalist Nabela Qoser following an extended security charges were denied bail.
probation period. • Apple Daily warned it was unable to pay staff
• Bao Choy filed an appeal against a magistrate’s and was at imminent risk of closure after the
decision to convict her after she accessed public government froze company assets. 14
records to investigate police behaviour.
 Hong Kong Press Freedom in 2021
• Apple Daily’s finance section, its English edition, • The Hong Kong government appointed a
Twitter account and video department ceased special fraud investigator to scrutinise Apple
operations following an exodus of staff. Daily’s parent company Next Digital.
• Police arrested an Apple Daily editorial writer
under the national security law. August
• Apple Daily decided to halt all operations in the • Digital Hong Kong news outlet Initium became
city and published its last edition of the the first media organisation to quit the city
newspaper on June 24. following the implementation of the national
• Two Apple Daily executives arrested on suspicion security law, as the outlet moved to Singapore.
of endangering national security sought a court • HKFP columnist and ex-RTHK broadcaster
order for Hong Kong police to return journalistic Steve Vines left Hong Kong for the UK citing
and privileged legal material seized during their
the security law crackdown.
arrest and in a raid on the newspaper.
• RTHK deleted all of its English-language Twitter
• Hong Kong national security police arrested a
former editorial writer for Apple Daily at the archive and prevented readers from “replying”
airport as he was about to fly to Britain. to its tweets citing resource constraints.
• Independent digital outlet Stand News • Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced that
announced it will remove opinion articles and RTHK will partner with China Media Group –
columns it published before May and stop the holding group for CCTV and China National
accepting donations in order to reduce risks Radio – to air more programmes.
under the national security law. • Beijing-controlled Wen Wei Po called for the
• Human Rights Watch released a report saying that HKJA to be regulated.
basic rights and freedoms in Hong Kong were
being “erased” under the security law. September
• RTHK sacked veteran journalist Allan Au from • All remaining directors of Next Digital resigned
hosting a phone-in radio programme. and called for the company’s liquidation, citing
• Veteran Hong Kong journalist and commentator a “climate of fear” created by the national
Steve Vines announced his departure from RTHK. security law.
July • RTHK said it is committed to promoting public
• RTHK axed the current affairs programme The debate following reports that it axed another
Pulse, hosted by veteran journalist Steve Vines. current affairs programme, the 41-year-old
• NGO Reporters Without Borders released a report City Forum.
accusing Chief Executive Carrie Lam of trampling • HKJA hit back at criticism from the Secretary
on the city’s press freedom. for Security, who accused it of infiltrating
• Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) campuses to “rope in” student journalists as
published its annual report saying that the city’s members.
press freedom was “in tatters.” • The head of the HKJA said that the security
• Local media reported that a senior executive at chief’s suggestion that the group could make
Now News resigned citing “turbulent times” for public its members’ information may be in
Hong Kong’s media. violation of the Privacy Ordinance.
• Staff at RTHK were ordered to refer to Taiwan as • A Hong Kong cartoonist apologised to police
part of China. for a satirical comic strip which linked the
• A sexual assault complaint against a Hong Kong Junior Police Call organisation to a controversy
police officer who allegedly touched the breast of over the HKJA.
a female journalist was dropped after the force • RTHK refused to comment on the
failed to identify the officer. whereabouts of its English-language radio
• Three former Apple Daily journalists had their bail presenter Hugh Chiverton after he
revoked by national security police. disappeared from the airwaves without
• Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui told explanation.
lawmakers that the government was mulling • The Financial Secretary asked a court to wind
plans to implement a “fake news” law. up Next Digital Limited in the “public interest.”
• Four former Apple Daily journalists charged under • RTHK told its staff to avoid contact with foreign
the national security law were denied bail in governments or political organisations under
court. new editorial guidelines, as it vowed to prevent
• Hong Kong national security police confiscated acts that endanger national security.
the travel documents of a reporter who filmed a
knife attack against an officer.
• Two former editors of Apple Daily charged under
the national security law withdrew their bail 15
review applications.
 Hong Kong Press Freedom in 2021
October • Chief Executive Carrie Lam vowed to
• Two Hong Kong news organisations were barred “proactively plug loopholes” in the city’s
from attending a reception organised by the local internet regulation to ensure “fake news”
media sector in celebration of the upcoming circulating online does not “harm society.”
Chinese National Day. • The High Court partially upheld a decision
• RTHK refused to say why it deleted a story from made by the Communication Authority against
its website about proposals for a new law RTHK, which stated that it presented factual
criminalising insults against public officers. inaccuracies and denigrated the police force in
• HKJA apologised for the alleged theft of its a now-axed satirical show.
members’ personal information, after a Beijing- December
backed newspaper published shredded
• RTHK “paused” the social media pages of a
documents taken from the office trash.
dozen programmes.
• Police rejected 26 out of 27 complaints submitted
• Media tycoon Jimmy Lai and the staff of Apple
by the HKJA as “not pursuable.”
Daily won the Golden Pen of Freedom award.
• The Independent Police Complaints Council
• Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland
accused the HKJA of airing misinformation over
Affairs Erick Tsang threatened the Wall Street
misconduct investigations.
Journal over an editorial it published about the
• Two registries announced new rules tightening
city’s first “patriots-only” legislative race.
public access to government records to step up
• Reporters Without Borders said press freedom
the protection of personal data privacy.
in Hong Kong was in “free fall” in its latest
• Hong Kong democrat Alan Leong was dropped by
report on China.
Ming Pao as a writer for the newspaper’s legal
• The High Court ordered that Next Digital
column, ending an 18-year term.
Limited must be wound up.
November • RTHK broadcasters outside of the news
• The Consumer Council cancelled an annual department were ordered not to discuss the
consumer reporting awards contest co-organised University of Hong Kong’s removal of a
with the HKJA. Tiananmen crackdown statue.
• An anonymous survey conducted by the FCC • Over 200 national security police officers were
found that close to half of the respondents deployed to raid the offices of Stand News,
considered leaving Hong Kong. seven people linked to the outlet were
• The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed “strong arrested.
disapproval” of the member survey conducted by • Stand News announced its decision to shut
the FCC. following a newsroom raid and seven arrests.
• Digital media outlet DB Channel announced plans Its website and social media pages were
to shut down operations in Hong Kong after the deleted.
channel’s co-founder Frankie Fung was denied • Two former chief editors of Stand News were
bail pending trial under the national security law. denied bail by a court after they were accused
• The police closed an investigation into a baseball of publishing seditious materials.
bat attack on an Epoch Times reporter, with no • Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng said that
one facing charges. criticism from foreign politicians and
• Stand News was nominated for the Reporters organisations over the arrest of figures
Without Borders 2021 Press Freedom Prize for connected to Stand News were “baseless” and
Independence. “in blatant violation of international law.”
• The Economist said that the Hong Kong
authorities refused to renew a work visa for their
correspondent Sue-Lin Wong, without providing
an explanation.
• Chief Executive Carrie Lam refused to explain why
Sue-Lin Wong was denied a work visa renewal. Anti-censorship app: Thanks to the
• The government is conducting a legal study on Greatfire Appmaker project, HKFP launched
the problem of “fake news,” Chief Secretary John a special downloadable app which made
Lee said. HKFP viewable in China, where the site is
• RTHK removed from its website a news report censored. It is available alongside our
about Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, who Android and Apple mobile apps.
accused a former top Chinese official of sexual
assault. 16
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