The world was watching Hong Kong as its sovereignty was returned to China in 1997. Many predicted that it was the doomsday of press freedom in the city.
Now, a decade after the handover, this book provides an up-to-date review of the dynamic relationship between media and political power in the post-handover years. It covers seven key issues including
- the mapping of the changing boundaries of press freedom,
- the impact of media ownership change on editorial stance,
- the development of national and hybrid identities,
- the tension between self-censorship and media professionalism,
- the rising importance of government public relations,
- the power and limits of hegemonic discourse, and
- the countervailing force posed by collective actions and public opinion.
These studies combine to reveal how the media are transformed as power structure is reconfigured and how the media may act upon politics in exerting their roles as the people’s voice. The book will serve as a reference for anyone who is interested in the evolution of political communication in a transitional society.