Press freedom in Hong Kong: Slight improvement despite self-censorship

Press freedom in Hong Kong: Slight improvement despite self-censorship

The latest developments in Hong Kong cast a shadow on the metropolis's media landscape. According to the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), conditions for journalists have not improved significantly, despite a slight increase in the latest "Press Freedom Index", which now stands at 28.9 points out of 100. The figure represents a minimal improvement after the index hit a historic low of 25 points last year, marked by the introduction of a new security law brought into being after the severe protests of 2019. Loud Prachatai The survey on this index was carried out between March 2024 and September 2025 and 220 journalists took part.

Despite this positive development in scoring, the reality for many journalists in Hong Kong is anything but rosy. A survey shows that 65% of respondents have practiced self-censorship in the last 18 months, which does not reflect well on press freedom. Particularly alarming is the extremely low self-censorship score of just 1.8 out of 7 points, which represents the greatest threat to freedom of reporting. This shows the shocking impact of repressive measures taken by the authorities since the national security law came into force five years ago. Critical media outlets have been forced to close and over 1,000 journalists have lost their jobs, many of whom have fled abroad.

A divided media landscape

The HKJA has made it clear that the improvement in the index reflects journalists' ability to adapt rather than an actual easing of the situation. An example of this deterioration is the drastic reduction in the ability to criticize the Hong Kong and Chinese governments, whose score in the index has fallen to just 1.9 points. Society's trust in the media has also suffered, as shown by the decrease in the value of the media's role as the voice of society from 6.6 to 4.4 points.

This dire situation is reinforced by reporting of threats against journalists and raids on newsrooms. In September 2024, at least 13 journalists were threatened both online and offline. State broadcaster RTHK has not only changed its editorial practices but also deleted old information from its archives - a move that has further fueled concerns about the loss of press freedom.

The HKJA recently highlighted that in 2013 self-censorship was at 3.1 points - a clear decline and a testament to the frightening effects of the repressive laws and the political atmosphere in the city. How NHK reports, the media landscape has suffered greatly under pressure from the authorities and even the freedom of the press that Hong Kong once enjoyed under the "one country, two systems" framework is now severely threatened.

Overall, the index and the associated reporting show that the media in Hong Kong are exposed to constant pressure that severely limits their independence and ability to provide critical reporting. The future of press freedom in the city looks bleak, raising the question: How long can journalists continue to speak out before they are silenced? Further details on the development of press freedom in Hong Kong can be found in an article by Mirror to find.