| Apple Daily | |
| Type: | Daily newspaper (2003–2021) Online newspaper (2021–2022) |
| Format: | Broadsheet |
| Ceased Publication: | 17 May 2021 |
| Owners: | Next Digital |
| Headquarters: | Neihu District, Taipei[1] |
| Political: | Pan-Green Pro-democracy camp (Hong Kong) |
| Language: | Traditional Chinese |
| Publishing Country: | Taiwan |
Apple Daily (Chinese: t=蘋果日報|p=Píngguǒ Rìbào|poj=Pîn-kó Ji̍t-pò) was a Chinese-language tabloid published in Taiwan, known for its sensational headlines, paparazzi photographs, and animated news videos.[2] The paper was owned by Next Digital (fka Next Media), which published an eponymous newspaper in Hong Kong. Apple Daily (Taiwan) published its last printed edition on 17 May 2021,[3] and operated its website until 31 August 2022, before rebranding itself as Next Apple News.[4]
After Jimmy Lai found Next Media Taiwan in late 2000 and started a Taiwanese version of Next Magazine, preparations began for the launch of a Taiwanese version of Apple Daily in 2003, with senior journalists from China Times and United Daily News being taken on. Both these newspapers and the Liberty Times, the "big three" in Taiwanese journalism, initially blocked Apple Daily first published on 2 May 2003. It was the first newspaper in Taiwan to publish 365 days a year, and it was the only newspaper in Taiwan subject to the circulation audit from Audit Bureau of Circulations (ROC).[5] Opening the Apple Daily in Taiwan was part of a larger push by parent company Next Media into the Taiwanese market. Next Media brought a combination of celebrity gossip and investigative journalism that was new to the market. Circulation peaked at 700,000. Its approach either inspired or revolted competitors and changed Taiwan's media landscape.[6] The paper was considered politically neutral by many Taiwanese people, prioritizing sensationalism (especially sexual, to some criticism) over serious political reporting. Thus, it was joked that the paper was "yellow" ("pornographic") instead of belonging to the Taiwanese blue (pro-China) and green (localist) political camps. Overall, the paper primary represented a "mild" form of Taiwanese identity supporting the status quo and opposing both reunification and "radical" independence. However, it attempted to represent differing perspectives and occasionally used terms found in publications espousing a "Chinese" identity.
In 2012, the Next Media Group withdrew from the Taiwan market and sold its Taiwan operations, including Apple Daily, Sharp Daily, Next Weekly and the Next TV cable network. On 29 November, investors including Want Want China Times group president Tsai Shao-chung, Formosa Plastics Group chairman William Wong and Chinatrust Charity Foundation chairman Jeffrey Koo, Jr, signed a contract with the Next Media Group in Macau. Tsai Shao-chung is the son of Tsai Eng-meng, the chair of the Want Want Group,[7] who owns China Times, one of the largest newspapers in Taiwan, and has acquired 60% of the second largest cable TV services on the island.[8] Tsai Eng-meng had made a controversial comment in an interview with Washington Post, stating that reports about massacre in the Tiananmen Square protest of 1989 were not true.[9] If the Next Media buyout deal were approved by the Taiwan Government, Want Want Group would control nearly 50% of Taiwan's news media. Fearing that Tsai's pro-Beijing position and the media monopoly would hurt media freedom and democracy,[10] protesters campaigned to urge the Taiwan Government cancel the Next Media sale.[11] In the end, the deal collapsed and only the Next TV channel was sold to another group, ERA Communications, in 2013.
On 4 April 2019, Apple Daily became an online newspaper, and began charging a NT$10 monthly subscription fee in September 2019, following a trial period between June and August 2019.[12]
In 2020, Apple Daily won a SOPA Scoop Award for a 10-month investigation into fraudulent speculation on farmland.[6]
On 14 May 2021, the newspaper announced the discontinuation of their print edition from 18 May 2021.[13] On 30 August 2022, Apple Online announced that the final updates to the website would be rolled out the next day. As Apple Online ceased operations, Singaporean businessman Joseph Phua declared the establishment of Next Apple News, and the hiring of a majority of the Apple Online staff.[14]