September 2015
“The Last Stand for Freedom of Speech” in Hong Kong Where Conventional Media Stay Silent”
Ken-ichi Yamada
More and more internet media services are emerging in Hong Kong and Taiwan in recent years. One of the underlying factors behind this is mounting complaints of citizens in both regions against conventional major media’s self-restraint in delivering critical news on China, out of concern for the mainland with which Hong Kong and Taiwan are establishing deeper economic ties. In Hong Kong, booming Internet media is to some extent contributing to securing freedom of speech and press as well as media diversity. However, Hong Kong’s Internet media focus more on criticism than news reports, and these commentaries tend to fall into propaganda reflecting specific political stances. Besides, small-size media outlets help achieve a diversified and pluralistic media landscape, but have their limit on impacting Hong Kong’s public opinion. Two challenges that the Internet media will face in the future can be highlighted. One is securing business stability. Many Internet media companies depend on contributions for revenue source, but some operators are struggling to collect expected amount of funds, which, in some cases, leads to the termination of their services. On top of that, since the advertising revenue model can be a bottleneck for issuing critical reports on China, the Internet media depending on this model may face same problems as the conventional media do. The other challenge involves a concern that if the Internet media steadily maintain its growth and increase their influence on public opinion, the Hong Kong government may strengthen its intervention over the Internet media, respecting the intention of Beijing. Thus, Hong Kong’s Internet media is destined to sway in the relations with the Chinese central government, and, currently, their only hope is public support. Under such circumstances, it is difficult to shake off “vulnerability” from their future prospects.