TNAG-1632-FCO40-2248-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong--including-visit-1987 — Page 193

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Printed Media

5.

Hong Kong has a wide range of dailies representing

a broad spectrum of political opinion. Not counting a

significant number of "mosquito" papers that provide a mix

of sex, violence and racing tips, there are about 20 dailies that could reasonably be described as newspapers.

6.

The main English language paper is the South China

Morning Post (circulation 65,000). It was acquired by

Rupert Murdoch in June 1986 and, as a result, is no longer as pro-establishment as previously. (The Sunday edition of the paper ran one instalment of extracts from "Spycatcher"

but was then restrained when HMG obtained an injunction in

the Hong Kong courts. The paper is vigourously opposing the

order.) Its rival is the Hong Kong Standard (circ 15,000).

7.

The leading Chinese language newspapers are the

Oriental Daily (410,000), Sing Pao (300,000), Ming Pao

(100,000) and Hong Kong Daily News (100,000). The

specialised Hong Kong Economic Journal (50,000) is

recognised as a "serious" paper. All of them pursue an independent editorial line. There are three communist

dailies, Wen Wei Po (70,000), Ta Kung Pao (60,000) and New Evening Post (50,000), and one KMT-funded newspaper, the Hong Kong Times (15,000), which generally toe the respective party lines.

8.

Two regional English-language news magazines, the Far Eastern Economic Review and Asiaweek, are based in Hong Kong. There is also a wide range of priodicals, mostly

Chinese-language. The main ones in the current affairs and

political fields are "Pai Shing", "The Nineties" "Wide

Angle" and the communist "Mirror" and "Outlook".

Foreign Correspondents

9.

All the major international news agencies have offices or correspondents in Hong Kong, as do the BBC, the main UK newspapers and a number of foreign media

organisations. Their focus tends to be regional rather than

local.

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