Winnie Chong

Monday, June 25, 2012

Press freedom in Hong Kong has worsened since Donald Tsang Yam-kuen became chief executive in 2005.

That is the belief of four in every five journalists, according to a survey by the Hong Kong Journalists Association.

It found that 86.9percent of the 663 reporters, photographers, editors and management polled in April believe the situation has worsened.

That is 28.5 percentage points more than those who thought the same at the last survey in 2007.

Nearly two in five (35.9 percent) admit they or their supervisors practice self-censorship - six percentage points more than in 2007.

Nearly everyone - 92.7percent - said media coverage is being hindered because government officials exert tighter control over the flow of information.

About seven in 10 (71 percent) said self-censorship exists in the industry, as management plays down negative news of big corporations that wield strong influence over advertising (40.3 percent), information unfavorable to the central government (37percent), and news reports which tend to favor individual chief executive candidates (33.6 percent).

More than 67percent of respondents believe the central government liaison office is exerting political interference over press freedom.

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Freedom of press on wane, say journos