A paper by Stephen J. Hutcheon, fall 1997 fellow, traces the history of press freedom in Hong Kong under British rule up to the aftermath of China’s takeover in 1997. Hutcheon analyzes the forces that could erode the freedom of the Hong Kong media and the counter forces that might help to protect press freedom. Despite an influx of outside media owners, Hong Kong maintained strong independent media outlets immediately following the transition. Yet, Hong Kong’s media was not without its shortcomings – notably, the largest paper being one dedicated to sensationalist coverage of scandals, rather than hard-hitting political coverage.
Pressing Concerns: Hong Kong’s Media in an Era of Transition
By Stephen J. Hutcheon
