Self-censorship in Hong Kong

Press freedom has diminished in Hong Kong in the 10 years since the handover of the former British colony to China, journalists say, but China is not really to blame.

Blame media self-censorship and tighter control of information by the local government, says the annual report by the Hong Kong Journalists’ Association.

The report said 58 per cent of Hong Kong journalists believed press freedom had worsened since 1997.

“About 30 per cent of the journalists said they had censored their reports, while 40 per cent said their colleagues had censored themselves,” according to the South China Morning Post story on the matter, which is behind a pay wall.

The report adds: “On the surface, there is a flourishing media. But deep down, there have been some disturbing trends, which led the [association] to conclude that the room for dissenting voices has been narrowing.”

Many media owners have become friends with Beijing officials and they would tone down criticism for fear of affecting their businesses on the mainland, the report added.