There have been continuing efforts from academics and professional bloggers to scrutinise the performance of media outlets, with self-censorship and news credibility usually being their core concerns. They engaged in such scrutiny by conducting regular surveys of the public on media credibility and analysing the political pressure faced by practitioners. However, no regular mechanism of media content surveillance or reporting was reported.
In addition, political key opinion leaders, experienced reporters, the HKJA, and other media observers organise irregular public forums on media performance. Between 1990 and 2008, RTHK produced a programme called Media Watch, the only programme in Hong Kong devoted to monitoring the local media’s performance and discussing recent developments in the media landscape. Media organisations have occasionally criticised one another and reported on related controversies.
The interviewees also suggested that they received complaints from the general public about their news content or presentation. Television and radio broadcasters faced greater pressure, because the Communication Authority allows the public to lodge complaints against broadcasting service providers, and such complaints have an influence on their broadcasting licences. On the one hand, this type of feedback can facilitate improvement in broadcasters’ performance, while on the other, harsh attacks also act as a form of political suppression. In one instance, a satirical show by RTHK recently came under fierce attack.
