Hong Kong Connection Explained

Genre:Current affairs documentary[1]
Country:Hong Kong
Language:Chinese[2]
English[3]
Producer:RTHK
Last Aired:present
Runtime:About 30 minutes (with advertising)[4]

Hong Kong Connection, formerly The Common Sense, is a long-running news documentary television programme produced by Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK. It mainly covers Hong Kong politics, economics, education, disadvantaged, environmental protection, the current situation in China, international affairs, etc. The programme premiered on 5 March 1978.[5] [6] [7]

History

Evolution of programs

At an early stage, Hong Kong Connection consisted mainly of drama components. After several reforms, the program turned into a documentary-like current events program.

In 2017, RTHK released a 60 episodes program in Chinese called The record of eras - Hong Kong Connection (The first episode and episode 51 are missing).[8] [9] The program reviewed the history of Hong Kong using the thousands of stories from Hong Kong Connection, which has launched for more than 30 years.

On 29 July 2019, Hong Kong Connection broadcast 721 Yuen Long Nightmare, introducing what happened in 2019 Yuen Long attack. In the program, Hong Kong Connection's reporters reconstructed the timeline of the attack through collecting the CCTV footage dated 21 July 2019.[10] [11] (video deleted, saved in Internet Archive) The video received more than 3 million views (Chinese version).

Controversies

Arrest of journalist investigating 2019 Yuen Long attack

On 3 November 2020, the police arrested freelance journalist Choy Yuk-ling, who filmed a Hong Kong Connection episode about the 2019 Yuen Long attack. She was charged with misusing a government vehicle licensing database and making false statements to obtain information and records about car owners[12] [13] after trying to discover the owners of a few vehicles suspected of supplying weapons to the attackers who launched an indiscriminate attack on scores of people. The owners of cars were identified as rural village leaders. She checked a box to declare that the vehicle registration searches were for "other traffic and transport related matters". Other options available when accessing the database are "legal proceedings" and "sale and purchase of vehicle". While the previously available option "other purposes" had been scrapped, the magistrate said that Choy should have considered other means to obtain the information.[14] The police dismissed allegations that the arrest was an attack on press freedom. Choy was found guilty on 22 April 2021 and fined HK$6,000.[15] The Foreign Correspondents Club on 22 April strongly criticised the verdict as setting a "dangerous precedent" for "legal action against journalists for engaging in routine reporting".[16]

Censorship

Following the 2019-2020 protests, the pro-Beijing camp and the government have attacked RTHK, accusing the station of bias. A new director of broadcasting, Patrick Li, took charge of RTHK in March 2021. The broadcaster has seen an exodus of senior staff, and censorship of RTHK documentaries has been on the rise. In May 2021, it was announced that old episodes of RTHK programmes would be deleted from the Internet, including old episodes of Hong Kong Connection.[17]

In May 2021, it was reported that RTHK management had rejected proposed new episodes on the 2019 Yuen Long attack and Hong Kong commemorations of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Paul Lee Yin-chit, who headed production of Hong Kong Connection, subsequently resigned from RTHK.[18] [19]

Deletion of online videos

On 3 May 2021, numerous videos on the RTHK YouTube and Facebook pages, including episodes of Hong Kong Connection, were deleted. The deleted videos were all uploaded more than a year ago, and included 721 Yuen Long Nightmare.[20] A spokesperson for RTHK stated the measure aligned the policy of its social media platforms with its website, where only programmes from the past 12 months are viewable.[21] [22] However, the RTHK Programme Staff Union considered the videos as the common property of HongKongers, criticising the removal of videos as 'unreasonable' and 'unnecessary'.[23] [24]

Awards

References

  1. Web site: Podcast One: Hong Kong Connection - Historic Treasure Hunt. podcast.rthk.hk. 2021-05-06. 2021-05-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20210507122226/https://podcast.rthk.hk/podcast/item.php?pid=280&eid=180380. live.
  2. Web site: Podcast: 文革五十年(下). August 1, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160801070101/http://podcast.rthk.hk/podcast/item.php?pid=244. 2016-08-01.
  3. Web site: Podcasts: Hong Kong Connection. January 7, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160107195535/http://podcast.rthk.hk/podcast/item_all.php?pid=280&lang=en-US. 2016-01-07.
  4. Web site: Top producer at embattled documentary series Hong Kong Connection quits RTHK - source. May 6, 2021. Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. May 13, 2021. May 13, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210513145000/https://hongkongfp.com/2021/05/06/top-producer-at-embattled-documentary-series-hong-kong-connection-quits-rthk-source/. live.
  5. Web site: 香港電台電視 Hong Kong Connection. 2021-05-02. www.rthk.hk. en. 2021-05-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20210502071214/https://www.rthk.hk/tv/dtt31/programme/hkce?lang=en. live.
  6. Web site: 鏗鏘集 (Hong Kong Connection) - YouTube. 2021-05-02. www.youtube.com. 2021-05-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20210509180716/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuwJy35eAVaIDgH7hgOpknp7KPOaibNjN. live.
  7. Web site: 2021-05-06. Top producer at embattled documentary series Hong Kong Connection quits RTHK - source. 2021-05-13. Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. en-GB. 2021-05-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20210513145000/https://hongkongfp.com/2021/05/06/top-producer-at-embattled-documentary-series-hong-kong-connection-quits-rthk-source/. live.
  8. Web site: 2017-03-13. 香港電台網站 : 電視時代的記錄 鏗鏘集. https://web.archive.org/web/20170313164517/https://www.rthk.hk/tv/dtt31/programme/hkcrepack. 2017-03-13. 2021-05-03.
  9. Web site: 時代的記錄 鏗鏘集 - YouTube. 2021-05-03. www.youtube.com. 2021-05-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20210503143802/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuwJy35eAVaICMi7K4nEmiCm7VgWJZ93N. live.
  10. Web site: 【有種紀錄 叫鏗鏘】721 元朗黑夜 《鏗鏘集》網上總瀏覽人次衝354萬 (21:46) - 20190803 - SHOWBIZ. 2021-05-03. 明報OL網. zh-hant. 2021-05-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20210503092625/https://ol.mingpao.com/ldy/showbiz/latest/20190803/1564838301590/%E3%80%90%E6%9C%89%E7%A8%AE%E7%B4%80%E9%8C%84-%E5%8F%AB%E9%8F%97%E9%8F%98%E3%80%91721-%E5%85%83%E6%9C%97%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C-%E3%80%8A%E9%8F%97%E9%8F%98%E9%9B%86%E3%80%8B%E7%B6%B2%E4%B8%8A%E7%B8%BD%E7%80%8F%E8%A6%BD%E4%BA%BA%E6%AC%A1%E8%A1%9D354%E8%90%AC. live.
  11. Web site: Hong Kong Connection：721 Yuen Long Nightmare - YouTube . 2021-05-04 . YouTube. https://web.archive.org/web/20200829232255if_/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpkFRsSo30o . 29 August 2020 . dead.
  12. News: Ramzy. Austin. Yu. Elaine. 2020-11-03. Hong Kong Journalist Arrested After Investigating Police Misconduct. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-05-09. 0362-4331. 2021-05-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20210509034918/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/03/world/asia/hong-kong-rthk-arrest.html. live.
  13. Web site: A Hong Kong Journalist Exposed Alleged Police Misconduct. She Was Arrested.. 2021-05-09. www.vice.com. 4 November 2020 . en. 2021-05-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20210510144316/https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7mmnj/a-hong-kong-journalist-exposed-alleged-police-misconduct-she-was-arrested. live.
  14. Web site: RTHK's Bao Choy found guilty over Yuen Long report - RTHK. 2021-05-11. news.rthk.hk. en-gb. 2021-05-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20210511023834/https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1587096-20210422.htm. live.
  15. Web site: Candice Chau. 2021-04-22. Hong Kong court fines journalist HK$6,000 for use of public records in documentary about police. 2021-05-11. Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. en-GB. 2021-05-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20210512030533/https://hongkongfp.com/2021/04/22/breaking-hong-kong-journalist-convicted-after-using-public-records-in-documentary-about-police/. live.
  16. Web site: 2021-04-26. 'Know your place': Beijing accuses Hong Kong press club of being 'external force' interfering in China's internal affairs. 2021-05-11. Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. en-GB. 2021-04-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20210428223216/https://hongkongfp.com/2021/04/26/know-your-place-beijing-accuses-hong-kong-press-club-of-being-external-force-interfering-in-chinas-internal-affairs/. live.
  17. News: Cheng . Selina . Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK deletes shows over a year old from internet as viewers scramble to save backups . Hong Kong Free Press . 3 May 2021 . 25 May 2021 . 23 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210623130646/https://hongkongfp.com/2021/05/03/hong-kong-broadcaster-rthk-to-delete-shows-over-a-year-old-from-internet-as-viewers-scramble-to-save-backups/ . live .
  18. News: Cheng . Selina . Top producer at embattled documentary series Hong Kong Connection quits RTHK – source . Hong Kong Free Press . 6 May 2021 . 13 May 2021 . 13 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210513145000/https://hongkongfp.com/2021/05/06/top-producer-at-embattled-documentary-series-hong-kong-connection-quits-rthk-source/ . live .
  19. News: Wang . Wallis . Producer quits over RTHK ban . The Standard . 7 May 2021 . 25 May 2021 . 25 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210525095359/https://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news/section/4/230028/Producer-quits-over-RTHK-ban . live .
  20. Web site: Hong Kong Broadcaster Fires Reporter, Deletes Critical Programs. 2021-06-18. Radio Free Asia. en. 2021-06-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20210618111938/https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/deletes-05032021142458.html. live.
  21. Web site: Cheng. Selina. 2021-05-03. Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK deletes shows over a year old from internet as viewers scramble to save backups. 2021-06-18. Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. en-GB. 2021-06-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20210623130646/https://hongkongfp.com/2021/05/03/hong-kong-broadcaster-rthk-to-delete-shows-over-a-year-old-from-internet-as-viewers-scramble-to-save-backups/. live.
  22. Web site: 港台刪YouTube舊片 最少41《鏗鏘集》下架 - 20210504 - 港聞. 2021-06-18. 明報新聞網 - 每日明報 daily news. zh-hant. 2021-05-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20210512152220/https://news.mingpao.com/pns/%e6%b8%af%e8%81%9e/article/20210504/s00002/1620065782303/%e6%b8%af%e5%8f%b0%e5%88%aayoutube%e8%88%8a%e7%89%87-%e6%9c%80%e5%b0%9141%e3%80%8a%e9%8f%97%e9%8f%98%e9%9b%86%e3%80%8b%e4%b8%8b%e6%9e%b6. live.
  23. Web site: 港台刪除YouTube節目重溫 包括鏗鏘集多集節目 - RTHK. 2021-06-18. news.rthk.hk. zh-tw. 2021-05-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20210521034838/https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1589006-20210503.htm. live.
  24. Web site: 清算港台︱即刪YouTube大量《鏗鏘集》涉警暴反送中 工會：影片乃港人財產 ｜ 蘋果日報. 2021-06-19. Apple Daily 蘋果日報. zh-hk. 2021-05-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20210521212339/https://hk.appledaily.com/local/20210503/UU2A4OBXHVB7FA4YYJP2OOELCQ/. dead.
  25. News: Girling . Barry . Chinese-in-London film goes in search of awards . South China Morning Post . 22 October 1984 . 26.
  26. News: RTHK focus on awards . South China Morning Post . 16 November 1983 . 24.
  27. News: Ho . Kelly . RTHK's Yuen Long doc and BBC's Xinjiang reporting win Human Rights Press Awards . Hong Kong Free Press . 6 May 2021 . 25 May 2021 . 25 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210525095357/https://hongkongfp.com/2021/05/06/breaking-rthks-yuen-long-doc-and-bbcs-xinjiang-reporting-win-human-rights-press-award/ . live .

External links

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Hong Kong Connection".

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