the exodus of journalists fleeing the climate of repression continues

The leak began with the imposition of national security laws. Most now live in Britain, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, and the United States. 80% have no intention of returning to Hong Kong. 90% do not regret leaving the city. More than half have other jobs, such as waiters or mechanics. The obstacle of the new language.

Hong Kong () – The exodus of journalists from the city abroad to escape the growing climate of repression has not stopped. This is revealed by a study by the Association of Overseas Hong Kong Media Professionals (AOHKM), promoted by veteran expatriate reporters such as Joseph Lian and Steve Vines.

Since the security law established by Beijing was imposed in the summer of 2020, newspapers and journalists have come under intense pressure from the authorities, the press and pro-establishment social users. Several newspapers and websites have had to close, such as the Apple Daily Catholic tycoon Jimmy Lai (detained awaiting trial) and Stand News; many journalists are now in jail.

On this matter, the Hong Kong Journalists Association has repeatedly denounced that the serial arrest of reporters and columnists decreed the end of freedom of information in the former British colony, an accusation that the local executive denies. In the past year, the city has fallen from 80th place to 148th in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom ranking.

According to AOHKM, there are currently a few hundred Hong Kong journalists living abroad, a number that is constantly increasing. In the past two and a half years, most have fled to Britain, Canada, Australia, Taiwan and the United States. Fleeing the city is a much broader phenomenon and affects several categories: between January 2021 and February this year, the United Kingdom alone welcomed 144,500 people from its former colony.

A survey that the humanitarian organization carried out among 90 of them revealed that the majority are reporters, followed by editors. More than a third have more than 21 years of experience, and 80% have no intention of returning to Hong Kong in the near future due to the psychological trauma they have suffered.

90% do not regret having left the city, despite the problems that their new life poses. More than half of those surveyed state that they do not currently work in the media sector: some are waiters, others are mechanics, others have become YouTubers; one is a florist.

Two thirds of this group, however, declared that they would like to return to their old profession. However, most of those who wanted to pursue a journalism career abroad highlighted the problems they had with a new language, considered a strong obstacle to finding a job. Some got jobs at the BBC, Voice of America and Radio Free Asia. A third, often on a voluntary basis, contribute to new platforms founded by Hong Kongers and targeting the city’s diaspora.