Chapter 16: Press, Publishing, Broadcasting, Films and Tourism
PRESS
HONG KONG has a large and active press. At the end of December 1958 some 180 periodicals and publications of all kinds were listed by the Registrar of Newspapers. Not all of these are daily news- papers. Indeed newspapers proper, including weekly and bi-weekly papers, account for only forty six of the total registered. The remainder are mainly magazines of all kinds. A list of some of the leading publications is at Appendix XIX.
The vast majority of these newspapers and periodicals are published in the Chinese language. There are only a round dozen English-language publications in both categories.
The extent of readership is unknown. Unofficial estimates put the total circulation of Chinese-language newspapers (morning and afternoon) at somewhere in the region of half a million copies a day. But since audited circulations and certified net sale figures are unknown, this estimate must be taken with reserve.
Eighteen of the Colony's newspapers are members of the News- paper Society of Hong Kong and may be regarded as the principal newspapers of the Colony. Among Chinese morning newspapers, recognized leaders are the Wah Kiu Yat Po (Overseas Chinese Daily News), Sing Tao Jih Pao and Kung Sheung Yat Po (Industrial & Commercial Daily), all of which maintain a good balance between foreign and local news and are, generally speak- ing, non-partisan politically. All three also publish afternoon editions. A popular non-political daily which has no afternoon edition is the Sing Pao. Orthodox Chinese communist policies are voiced in the Ta Kung Pao, Wen Wei Pao and New Evening Post, whilst the Hong Kong Times speaks for the Nationalist regime in Taiwan. Other Chinese newspapers which are members of the Newspaper Society are the New Life Evening Post and Hung Look Daily News, as well as the bilingual Daily Commodity Quotations.