Photo source: South China Morning Post

Citation: Hak Yin Li, “The declining credibility of the traditional media in Hong Kong”, Asian Politics and Policy 6, iss. 1 (2014): 159-162.

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Abstract: In the 2012 Hong Kong Legislative Council (Legco) Election, the pro-democracy camp won 27 seats out of 70 seats in total, while the pro-Beijing camp and other independent candidates got the remaining seats. Among the major print media in Hong Kong, Ming Pao Daily reported that the pro-democracy camp received the lowest percentage of votes since the handover in 1997. As a pro-democracy newspaper, Hong Kong Economic Journal regarded that the effective electoral strategy of the pro-Beijing political parties overwhelmed the pro-democracy camp, Apple Daily even criticized the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong (LOCPG) for helping the pro-Beijing camp during the election. The pro-Beijing newspapers have a different story. Chan Yuen-han, an influential leader of the pro-Beijing Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) told Takungpao that the FTU does not coordinate strategic voting with the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB)—currently the largest political party in the Legco, which is a staunch supporter of Beijing. Wenweipao published the opinion of some delegates of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in recognizing the victory of the pro-Beijing camp as they are working with Hong Kong to stimulate economic growth and improve living standards.