Prologue Journal

Dear readers and supporters,

Ideas that HKFP could avoid some of the pressures faced by the rest of Hong Kong’s independent media sector were dashed in 2024. Threats and harassment, official scrutiny from multiple government departments, pressure on our corporate partners, and false complaints to the authorities marked a bumpy year for our newsroom. We nevertheless battled our way through unscathed, reporting all cases of intimidation to the police and emerging with a strengthened determination to continue our work.

For the rest of Hong Kong, 2024 was equally eventful. It saw the passage of a new security law, a protest song banned and the departure of five foreign judges from the top court, whilst editors from the now-defunct Stand News were jailed for sedition. Meanwhile, 45 democrats were jailed over a democratic primary, the Journalist Association chair was fired from the Wall Street Journal, Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai took the stand in court, and the city recorded the hottest year on record.

Our team reported on every beat, with a bumper year for award nominations. HKFP was shortlisted for an International Press Institute Free Media Pioneer award and a Reporters Without Border Press Freedom Prize. We also won a prize for photography, for courage and impact, and we were nominated for a prestigious SOPA in regional reporting.

Having previously bolstered our Ethics Code and gained several credibility hallmarks, we aim to join the Journalism Trust Initiative in 2025, as part of our commitment to original reporting, accuracy, inclusion, and fairness. We will also enrol with Reporters Shield to insure us against any frivolous legal suits.

There will also be challenges ahead, as we mark 10 years of HKFP this June. With a HK$1.7m deficit predicted for 2024, we will need to reduce costs and increase our income. We will therefore launch half a dozen new benefits for our valued HKFP Patrons, in order to safeguard our team and output.

Despite the bumpy ride, HKFP still has breathing room to report freely on any local, hard news story. We remain dedicated to Hong Kong, as we are still able to speak to sources on the ground and exercise privileges lost in mainland China: bearing witness in court and at the legislature, and asking tough, direct questions of officials.

I am happy to present our Annual Report, as we round-up our best coverage, achievements, and accounts from the past 12 months – all made possible by our monthly donors. The price of a weekly coffee will help us keep the lights on and return to sustainability over the coming year. And for those of you who are already HKFP Patrons, thank you for your kind support, and for helping keep independent media alive in Hong Kong.

Annual Report 2024:

• Our Mission & Impact.
• The Best of HKFP 2024.
• HKFP Awards.
• Ethics at HKFP.
• Impact & Positioning.
• Staff & Structure.
• Transparency Report 2024.
• Press Freedom in 2024.
• Reader Survey.
• How to Support HKFP.

Original reporting: Hong Kong Free Press began 2024 not in its home city, but in Taipei, as voters headed to the polls to elect Taiwan’s next leader. We spoke to young voters about their concerns, and Hongkongers who had moved there in the wake of the 2019 protests and were casting their ballots for the first time. 

Ahead of Lai-Ching-te’s presidential inauguration, we sat down with Taiwan’s outgoing foreign minister Joseph Wu, pro-Beijing figures, and academics to discuss the democratic island’s uncertain future, and later looked back at the Sunflower Movement 10 years after students stormed the legislature to protest economic rapprochement with China. 

Most of our reporting, however, remained focused on issues that impacted Hongkongers. Mental health remained a major concern, as we explored the ways that mental health professionals and educators were seeking to stem an alarming rise in student suicides. When a man suffering from schizophrenia was shot dead by police at his home, his family told HKFP they could not understand why officers had been so quick to resort to firearms. 

In an effort to gauge public opinion about major political developments – such as the legislation of a new security law, Donald Trump’s re-election as US president, and the opening of an exhibition dedicated to national security – we hit the streets to ask Hongkongers for their opinions. 

We also spoke to social workers – whose field was the subject of a major government overhaul – about the lack of resistance to, or even discussion about, the changes within the sector. The silence was a sign of the times in today’s Hong Kong, they said, but uncharacteristic of the historically outspoken industry. 

A chill fell across the city’s arts sector, too, after venue cancellations and the axing of a major awards ceremony left drama groups wondering where the red lines lay. We were also there for the final day of Mount Zero, a much-loved independent book store that closed its doors in March after being repeatedly inspected by government departments after receiving alleged anonymous complaints. 

Independent publishers told us that a shortage of local writers, both experienced and up-and-coming, posed a challenge to Hong Kong’s literary scene. Zine makers, though, discussed creating a queer community even as a quietness pervaded traditionally LGBTQ spaces. Advocates behind long-running LGBTQ NGOs told us that a lack of funding was squeezing their ability to operate, as once-accessible government coffers were closed. 

Amid Israel’s war in Gaza, we examined how Hongkongers who wanted to express solidarity with Palestinians had found solace in small-scale community organising. 

We explored how changes in Hong Kong’s economic outlook had impacted its service industry, with restaurant owners from across the city weighing in on why business had been so slow to recover since Covid-related curbs were lifted. One suggested that it may have more to do with a post-national security law exodus than simply altered spending habits as Hongkongers headed to mainland China for weekends and holidays.  

In another reversal of fortunes, we followed cross-border “shopping agents” taking advantage of cheap goods in Shenzhen for resale in Hong Kong, and accompanied young Chinese music fans on a screamo pilgrimage to an underground Hong Kong rock club.

We also spoke to Chinese parents who had enlisted as migrant workers under government schemes designed to plug shortages in low-skilled labour sectors so they can live in the same city as their Hong Kong-born children. 

And in a year that saw journalists and 45 prominent democracy advocates jailed, we spoke to a group of elderly courtgoers sympathetic to the pro-democracy cause who are committed to witnessing cases related to the 2019 protests and national security. 

We heard from women who had been victims of “hidden” sexual violence on Hong Kong’s streets, who shared how speaking about their experiences with others had helped them find solace and a sense of empowerment. Meanwhile, hopeful mothers who had suffered repeated miscarriages discussed how they went in search of more information after being dissatisfied with simply being told to try again by their doctors. 

Development and redevelopment have been high on the government’s agenda, but neither is without impact. We documented residents’ recollections of Tai Hang Sai Estate before they were evicted ahead of construction work, and spent time with fish farmers whose livelihoods are likely to disappear when their ponds are filled in to make way for a controversial technology hub. 

Also facing radical redevelopment is Hong Kong’s historic flower market. Residents told us they were worried that plans to build high-rise buildings would uproot the community, while florists feared about the brunt the construction work would have on their business. 

We sought to explore issues pertinent to the city’s migrant domestic workers, speaking to several whose mental health had suffered as a result of financial and work pressures, and subpar living conditions. We also heard from domestic workers who had been targeted by unlicensed online money lenders, and trapped in a subsequent cycle of debt. 

After the former employer of a domestic worker was sentenced to seven years in jail after being found guilty of raping her, she shared her story with us, expressing gratitude for the city’s justice system even as experts decried the misogyny inherent to rape hearings. 

Increasingly, domestic workers are looking beyond Hong Kong for opportunities they hope will be better paid, with Poland a popular destination. Many, though, have struggled to find their feet after arriving. 

Responding to official requests to “tell a good Hong Kong story,” HKFP reached out to government departments in the hope of producing image-led features about their work, only to be stonewalled by almost every department. 

However, we were able to report some feel-good stories in 2024, including features about farmers returning lost rice varieties to the land, a running club largely made up of current and former street sleepers, a cafe that employs people who have been diagnosed with learning disabilities, and a Hongkonger who has treated almost 200 strangers to dinner.

Explanatory reporting: We continued our monthly explainers on the impact of Beijing’s national security law on the city, and looked in-depth at the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, better known as Article 23, as it was fast-tracked through the opposition-free legislature, exploring how the 2024 law differed from one put forth in 2002. After it passed into law, we examined the new legislation, and produced a timeline of its passage, and six months after it was enacted we took a look at those who had been targeted. 

Several of our explainers stemmed from court rulings, including the appeal that saw protest anthem Glory to Hong Kong banned, exploring why judges had reached that ruling. We also explored judgments handed down in landmark cases such as the one involving Stand News and its top editors, asking why the independent media outlet had been ruled a “tool” used to smear Beijing. 

When 14 pro-democracy figures were found guilty of conspiring to commit subversion, we looked at the judges’ reasons for reaching that verdict. And when they were among 45 jailed for the charge, we checked out who they were.  

After several foreign judges announced their departure from Hong Kong’s top court, we explored what their function was, and when three men were arrested in the UK on spying charges, we looked at their links to the city’s trade mission in London. 

As 2024 marked a decade since the Umbrella Movement, we asked where its leaders were now, while also exploring the role of the embattled Hong Kong Journalists Association after it faced criticism from the Hong Kong security chief. Amid a string of people being denied entry to Hong Kong, we examined who has been barred from the city, and sought to answer the often-asked question: Why is TikTok banned in Hong Kong? 

With environmental issues increasingly in the news, particularly after the government scrapped a long-debated waste tax designed to reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfills, we looked at the size of Hong Kong’s waste problem. And as 2024 officially became the city’s hottest ever, we explored how much Hong Kong has heated up since records began. 

Interviews: In 2024, we spoke to Hong Kong filmmakers Chan Cheuk-sze and Kathy Wong fresh off the back of their Golden Horse Awards win about how the city’s once colourful political scene had taken on a muted and monotone hue in recent years. Additionally, Oscar-nominated director S. Leo Chiang shared his perspective on Taiwan’s complex geopolitical position and cultural identity and how Hong Kong had become a cautionary tale for Taiwanese. 

Innocent Mutanga, who fled political persecution in Zimbabwe, told us about his journey of adaptation as he fought for, and gained, asylum in Hong Kong, where he now runs an NGO with the goal of “rebranding blackness” in Asia, fostering exchanges between different ethnic groups, and promoting dignity and self-love within the city’s African community. 

We also spent time with writer Sa’diyya Nesar, who has sought to reframe how people understand disability through her storytelling. Creativity was also central to our four-part series of interviews with zine artists and archivists: Sam Chao, Charis Poon, Kaitlin Chan, and Forrest Lau.  

Hong Kong Free Press is proud to have gained the Trust Project hallmark following a rigorous, months long vetting process. The global transparency standard proves a news outlet’s commitment to original reporting, accuracy, inclusion, and fairness.

HKFP has publicly disclosed and expanded its ethical policies, standards, reporting and corrections guidelines to adhere to the eight Trust Indicators. The move, in 2023, sought to improve media literacy and battle “fake news,” misinformation and online propaganda.

First adopted in March 2020, our newly revamped guidelines lay out HKFP’s mission, our priorities, our expectations for staff conduct and impartiality, as well as how we deal with issues such as AI, advertising, anonymity, balance, security, sourcing and issues of race, religion, sexual orientation, disability and identity.

We joined around 300 newsrooms across the world displaying the Trust Mark symbol, including the BBC, Washington Post, Sky News, CTV and the Economist.

Our Policies, Ethics and Best Practices guidelines are living document. In an ever-changing city, with the space for press freedom and trust in media in decline, we will continue to evolve – and disclose – our professional practices and guiding principles.

The 9 Trust Project Indicators:

1. Best Practices – who is behind the news?
If a journalist’s organization has rules they must follow to make sure their reporting is independent, accurate and honest, then their news will be more trustworthy.

2. Journalist Expertise – who made this?
We are rarely there to see events in the news for ourselves, so we rely on the journalist. They should follow strict standards for gathering solid evidence and multiple perspectives.

3. Labels – news, opinion, or what?
It’s important to know whether your news is impartial or deliberately biased. Stories should be clearly labelled if they are designed to persuade us to agree. If it’s journalism, then it’s meant to help us develop our own opinions.

4. References – what are the sources?
When a journalist is developing a news story, they may use information from eye witnesses, documents and other places – called sources. When a journalist shows their sources, we can check their reliability for ourselves.

5. Methods – why was it built?
If we know why a journalist chose a particular story and how they reported it, it’s easier to interpret it. A journalist’s methods help us know how fast-moving, well-researched or impartial the story may be.

6. Locally sourced – do they know you and your community?
If a journalist knows and lives in the community, they can explain an event or issue more sensitively and accurately. If not, they can improve their reporting by going there and speaking to others who have local and community knowledge.

7. Diverse voices – who is in the news, who is missing?
If certain voices or experiences are missing from the news, we don’t get the full picture. Look for voices less commonly heard in society, often because of race, class, generation, gender, sexual orientation, ideology or the region they live in.

8. Actionable feedback – does this news site listen to me?
By inviting and listening to public feedback, journalists can make sure their work is accurate and complete. The public also might help them find important news they had overlooked.

• 💰 Reader supported: 94% of HKFP’s income comes directly from our readers, ensuring our press freedom and independence.
• ♻️ Surplus recycled: As a non-profit, with no shareholders, investors, billionaires or umbrella company overseeing it, any surplus is recycled back into the HKFP newsroom for future use.
• 📉 Costs reduced: In 2024, HKFP slashed costs by switching insurers and merch store suppliers, downgrading software packages, adjusting staff transport allowances, finding sponsors for key costs, and halting most advertising. Given the tough environment for press freedom and the need to retain staff, HKFP vows to safeguard journalist salaries and headcount. Director pay was, however, frozen in 2022.
• 📈 New income streams: HKFP launched a newly expanded commercial rate card in 2024, with over a dozen advertising offerings, as well as photo/video licencing, consultancy, workshop and sponsorship opportunities. We also signed content sales deals with the Copyright Clearance Center and ProRata.ai, and launched new HKFP merch lines to improve cashflow.
• 💲2025 Patrons plan: To close the funding gap in 2025, HKFP will provide new benefits to monthly donors.

Contributions: include one-off & monthly Patron contributions by cheque/transfer, cash, PayPal & Stripe credit/debit card (inc. Apple Pay & Google Pay), PayMe, Octopus, CoinDragon, as well as merch sales profit and shopping referral links.

Ads & content sales: include ad income from display ads; Apple News & Facebook ads, Google/YouTube ads, directly purchased rate card ads & content sales [from media outlets, institutions and syndication partners LexisNexis, Opera News, ProRata.ai, CCC, Moody’s, NewsBank, ProQuest, Dow Jones Factiva & Nordot etc…]

💼 Investing in people: HKFP competes with international media when it comes to staff pay and conditions. We are proud to set – or exceed – industry standards in order to foster talent and retain staff in an increasingly tough environment. 78% of HKFP’s spending goes towards staff remuneration and pensions. When you support HKFP, you can be assured that your contribution is going directly towards local journalists – not to shareholders or a profit-making conglomerate.

💵 Living Wage Employer: In 2024, HKFP gained the Oxfam Living Wage Employer certification.

✔️ Staff benefits include: ✓ Clear payscale and annual appraisals. ✓ Up to 23 days annual leave. ✓ 4 months of maternity leave, 3 months  of paternity leave. ✓ Healthcare, dental and physio coverage. ✓ Mental health support options. ✓ Secure laptop and phone. ✓ Monthly travel allowance. ✓ Remote working benefits.

HKFP Patrons in 2024: HKFP relies on a membership model. Small amounts of income from a large pool of Patrons help support our team, sustain our operations, and guarantee our newsroom’s independence and longevity. Our monthly income as of January 2025:

• 1,003 – Number of monthly Patrons.
• HK$201,733 – Monthly income from Patrons (before fees.)
• HK$201 – Average monthly Patron contribution.

• 💰 HKFP will expand benefits for monthly supporters in 2025. Patrons will receive exclusive newsletters and columns, merch discounts, feature previews and opportunities to tour our office or attend Q&As.
• ⚠️ HKFP’s monthly costs in 2024 were HK$447,040.

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• Account name: Hong Kong Free Press Limited. Account number: 817-887532-838.
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