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Hong Kong national security law (NSL)
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A police officer carries out a stop-and-search on a student journalist in Mong Kok on August 11, 2020. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images
OpinionLetters

Letters | Fake news law: Hong Kong media will have only itself to blame

  • In terms of the overall coverage of Hong Kong’s troubles, starting in 2014 with the Occupy Central disturbances, both the local and international media gave a consistently biased and distorted view
Hong Kong national security law (NSL)
Letters
Letters
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I refer to Cliff Buddle’s article and respectfully disagree with his opinion (“A fake news law is not the answer to misinformation”, February 6).

The trouble with an independent media is that “acting responsibly” comes before you earn “independence”, and in this regard I strongly suggest the media has failed.

In terms of the overall coverage of Hong Kong’s troubles, starting in 2014 with the Occupy Central disturbances, both the Hong Kong local and international media gave a consistently biased and distorted view, most coverage being anti-police and pro-protesters.
So the media has only itself to blame for the Hong Kong government’s proposal to introduce legislation to encourage greater scrutiny of a balanced, independent view before publication.

If there was any real crackdown on a free press in Hong Kong, Mr Buddle’s article wouldn’t see the light of day.

I think it is also relevant to mention that, since the new security legislation was introduced, Hong Kong has once again become one of the most free, safe and peaceful cities in the world. Long may this continue.

Martin Clinch, Tung Chung

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