F ears that Hong Kong's liberal press system would be compromised under Chinese rule have proved ... more F ears that Hong Kong's liberal press system would be compromised under Chinese rule have proved unfounded: newspapers and magazines, as well as certain television and radio current affairs programmes, continue to be outspoken and often highly critical of the local government. However, the grounds for concern about loss of this freedom remain, and in some ways are more worrying five years after the handover than before as the Hong Kong government deals with the strain of maintaining a balance between local forces and Beijing while facing economic decline since the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s. This paper examines the changes in Hong Kong that have affected the news media in the five years since the handover to discern the conditions that underpin the current freedoms and affect future development.
Mass media play an essential role in the broadcasting process of significant information about ev... more Mass media play an essential role in the broadcasting process of significant information about events. The objectivity of public opinion depends on the authenticity of the information provided by mass media. The same events and phenomena can be covered differently by countries' mass media, taking completely contrary attitudes. With the ongoing
Journalists who decide to take up university posts mid-career, struggle to establish themselves a... more Journalists who decide to take up university posts mid-career, struggle to establish themselves against scholars half their age with no field experience. Being asked to publish academic research—far removed in style and content from their own extensive writing background—to prove their worth seems to be an exercise in futility: they are there to teach professional skills, which their academic colleagues cannot do, and this brings kudos to the university. When they do produce scholarly work, they face difficulty in adapting and have difficulty getting published. Some want universities to allow them to count journalism as research. This, however, is inappropriate, mainly because journalistic output is extremely difficult to judge. If journalists want to become academics, they must produce academic research. The recent increase in suitable research journals and improvements in scholarly methods is making the path easier.
The new research presented in this volume suggests that general perceptions (cultural, psychologi... more The new research presented in this volume suggests that general perceptions (cultural, psychological, geographical), allied to the customs and values of journalism, and underpinned by the uses of technology, significantly shape international news. This gives rise to a blend of the old and the new; traditions of cultural centredness and innovative practices; anchorages of place and the rootlessness of globalization. Technology per se has not swept all before it. On the other hand, its uses have altered the means and methods of international news sourcing, construction and dissemination. Consequently, the uptake of technology has contributed to fundamental changes in style and form, and has greatly facilitated cross-cultural exchanges. The category ‘international news’ is now more of a hybrid, as recognized by the BBC and others. The chapters in this book demonstrate that this hybridity is unevenly distributed across geo-political domains, and often across time. Nevertheless, as the contributors to this volume show, the concept of ‘international news’ relies on tightly interwoven elements of orthodox journalism, social media, civic expression and public assembly. [Book summary from publisher]
Hong Kong’s transition from British to Chinese rule took place without incident on the rainy nigh... more Hong Kong’s transition from British to Chinese rule took place without incident on the rainy night of 30 June-1 July 1997, thirteen years after the signing of the Joint Declaration on Hong Kong by the two nations. Fears for the fate of the rather high level of freedom of expression, nurtured in the final years of the British administration, were common. Beijing’s wrath at the speedy establishment of a more or less directly elected Legislative Council in the early and mid-1990s by the last British governor, Chris Patten, led to the post-handover installation of a temporary appointed legislative body for a year, before new but restricted elections. The job of updating the many long-unused laws with repressive potential was not completed, partly because of lack of time but largely because of opposition from the Chinese government and its supporters, who were concerned that the effort was designed to allow the maintenance of a British power base in Hong Kong. The overarching threat was of direct Chinese interference. Reporters from the territory had been arrested in China in the years before the handover on official secrets charges that wouldn’t have been valid in Hong Kong. In the territory itself, Beijing officials had made pronouncements on what Hong Kong journalists should and should not do, most specifically warning them not to advocate independence for Tibet and Taiwan, but without indicating what would constitute such advocacy. This gave rise to suggestions that the Hong Kong press was reacting by practicing self-censorship, especially on matters concerning the Chinese government and such sensitive issues as Taiwan and Tibet. In 1995, we wrote an account of these matters in the Free Speech Yearbook, Vol. 33 (Clarke and Hamlett), summing up the prospects for freedom of expression as “pessimistic but not hopeless.” In this article we look at the situation eight years later under the second posthandover administration of Chief Executive (CE) Tung Chee-hwa and examine developments in the areas where freedom of expression seemed vulnerable before the handover.
In 1992-1993, freedom of expression and of the press returned to Cambodia after nearly 20 years o... more In 1992-1993, freedom of expression and of the press returned to Cambodia after nearly 20 years of war and internal disruption, including more than three years of complete suppression under the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. This paper examines the nature of the wide range of news media, old and new, that were in existence by mid-1994 and tries to assess the influence of journalists from various backgrounds, and of different types of ownership and organization.
As proxy information-gatherers for their audiences, journalists often cover ‘pseudo-events’, whos... more As proxy information-gatherers for their audiences, journalists often cover ‘pseudo-events’, whose purpose is to present to the world a version of reality set up by the organizers. These are usually people with links to wealth and power but they can also be out-groups trying to get their ‘real’ news noticed. For reporters the challenge is whether to cover these events at face value or delve deeper to find the truth. This study examines through a questionnaire and content analysis how reporters who covered Vietnam’s final withdrawal of troops from Cambodia in 1989, staged as a pseudo-event, dealt with the opposing interpretations by Vietnam, an international outcast, and its opponents, who said the pullout was a fake. The power of the pseudo-event was such that nearly all journalists accepted the Vietnamese version as it was shown to them but most also used their knowledge of the international situation as a reinforcement.
F ears that Hong Kong's liberal press system would be compromised under Chinese rule have proved ... more F ears that Hong Kong's liberal press system would be compromised under Chinese rule have proved unfounded: newspapers and magazines, as well as certain television and radio current affairs programmes, continue to be outspoken and often highly critical of the local government. However, the grounds for concern about loss of this freedom remain, and in some ways are more worrying five years after the handover than before as the Hong Kong government deals with the strain of maintaining a balance between local forces and Beijing while facing economic decline since the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s. This paper examines the changes in Hong Kong that have affected the news media in the five years since the handover to discern the conditions that underpin the current freedoms and affect future development.
Mass media play an essential role in the broadcasting process of significant information about ev... more Mass media play an essential role in the broadcasting process of significant information about events. The objectivity of public opinion depends on the authenticity of the information provided by mass media. The same events and phenomena can be covered differently by countries' mass media, taking completely contrary attitudes. With the ongoing
Journalists who decide to take up university posts mid-career, struggle to establish themselves a... more Journalists who decide to take up university posts mid-career, struggle to establish themselves against scholars half their age with no field experience. Being asked to publish academic research—far removed in style and content from their own extensive writing background—to prove their worth seems to be an exercise in futility: they are there to teach professional skills, which their academic colleagues cannot do, and this brings kudos to the university. When they do produce scholarly work, they face difficulty in adapting and have difficulty getting published. Some want universities to allow them to count journalism as research. This, however, is inappropriate, mainly because journalistic output is extremely difficult to judge. If journalists want to become academics, they must produce academic research. The recent increase in suitable research journals and improvements in scholarly methods is making the path easier.
The new research presented in this volume suggests that general perceptions (cultural, psychologi... more The new research presented in this volume suggests that general perceptions (cultural, psychological, geographical), allied to the customs and values of journalism, and underpinned by the uses of technology, significantly shape international news. This gives rise to a blend of the old and the new; traditions of cultural centredness and innovative practices; anchorages of place and the rootlessness of globalization. Technology per se has not swept all before it. On the other hand, its uses have altered the means and methods of international news sourcing, construction and dissemination. Consequently, the uptake of technology has contributed to fundamental changes in style and form, and has greatly facilitated cross-cultural exchanges. The category ‘international news’ is now more of a hybrid, as recognized by the BBC and others. The chapters in this book demonstrate that this hybridity is unevenly distributed across geo-political domains, and often across time. Nevertheless, as the contributors to this volume show, the concept of ‘international news’ relies on tightly interwoven elements of orthodox journalism, social media, civic expression and public assembly. [Book summary from publisher]
Hong Kong’s transition from British to Chinese rule took place without incident on the rainy nigh... more Hong Kong’s transition from British to Chinese rule took place without incident on the rainy night of 30 June-1 July 1997, thirteen years after the signing of the Joint Declaration on Hong Kong by the two nations. Fears for the fate of the rather high level of freedom of expression, nurtured in the final years of the British administration, were common. Beijing’s wrath at the speedy establishment of a more or less directly elected Legislative Council in the early and mid-1990s by the last British governor, Chris Patten, led to the post-handover installation of a temporary appointed legislative body for a year, before new but restricted elections. The job of updating the many long-unused laws with repressive potential was not completed, partly because of lack of time but largely because of opposition from the Chinese government and its supporters, who were concerned that the effort was designed to allow the maintenance of a British power base in Hong Kong. The overarching threat was of direct Chinese interference. Reporters from the territory had been arrested in China in the years before the handover on official secrets charges that wouldn’t have been valid in Hong Kong. In the territory itself, Beijing officials had made pronouncements on what Hong Kong journalists should and should not do, most specifically warning them not to advocate independence for Tibet and Taiwan, but without indicating what would constitute such advocacy. This gave rise to suggestions that the Hong Kong press was reacting by practicing self-censorship, especially on matters concerning the Chinese government and such sensitive issues as Taiwan and Tibet. In 1995, we wrote an account of these matters in the Free Speech Yearbook, Vol. 33 (Clarke and Hamlett), summing up the prospects for freedom of expression as “pessimistic but not hopeless.” In this article we look at the situation eight years later under the second posthandover administration of Chief Executive (CE) Tung Chee-hwa and examine developments in the areas where freedom of expression seemed vulnerable before the handover.
In 1992-1993, freedom of expression and of the press returned to Cambodia after nearly 20 years o... more In 1992-1993, freedom of expression and of the press returned to Cambodia after nearly 20 years of war and internal disruption, including more than three years of complete suppression under the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. This paper examines the nature of the wide range of news media, old and new, that were in existence by mid-1994 and tries to assess the influence of journalists from various backgrounds, and of different types of ownership and organization.
As proxy information-gatherers for their audiences, journalists often cover ‘pseudo-events’, whos... more As proxy information-gatherers for their audiences, journalists often cover ‘pseudo-events’, whose purpose is to present to the world a version of reality set up by the organizers. These are usually people with links to wealth and power but they can also be out-groups trying to get their ‘real’ news noticed. For reporters the challenge is whether to cover these events at face value or delve deeper to find the truth. This study examines through a questionnaire and content analysis how reporters who covered Vietnam’s final withdrawal of troops from Cambodia in 1989, staged as a pseudo-event, dealt with the opposing interpretations by Vietnam, an international outcast, and its opponents, who said the pullout was a fake. The power of the pseudo-event was such that nearly all journalists accepted the Vietnamese version as it was shown to them but most also used their knowledge of the international situation as a reinforcement.
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Papers by Judith Clarke