World News Day: Why independent journalism is a lifeline for Hong Kong

HKFP is joining 1,000 news organisations across more than 100 countries to highlight World News Day on September 28. Coinciding with the UN International Day for Universal Access to Information, it aims to promote fact-based journalism, truth and media literacy across the world. Quality journalism is critical to a society’s economy, national security, and response to crises. This was the conclusion of a UNESCO-commissioned report published in June. It found that US$1 (HK$17.8) invested in journalism generates over US$100 (HK$784) in public savings through improved public services, reduced corruption and reclaimed funds. Meanwhile, territories with declining press freedom see a 1-2 per cent reduction in real GBP growth. The research came at a time when disinformation – ranked by the Word Economic Forum this year as the second most pressing global risk – costs societies up to US$516 billion (HK$4 trillion) a year. It is an issue that independent journalism is best aligned to tackle – besides, it would only take 0.1 per cent of global GDP to fund a secure, healthy, public media. Cartoon: Rico/World News Day. The study of 152 countries also found that greater access to free media is linked to a lower likelihood of conflict and repression and a reduction in rights abuses. UNESCO said the report was “published at a moment when the conditions for independent journalism are more precarious than at any point in recent history: public funding for media is declining, social media platforms and AI threaten media revenue streams, and drastic cuts to international aid and media development budgets have taken a severe toll.” (L-R) Executive Editor Ryan Ho Kilpatrick, Senior Reporter Hans Tse, Editor-in-Chief Tom Grundy, Photojournalist Kyle Lam, Reporter James Lee, Features Editor Irene Chan, and Senior Reporter Hillary Leung. “As a consequence, audiences worldwide are facing shrinking access to trusted sources of independent journalism and the reliable information they provide. The findings provide a strong evidence base for renewed public and international investment in independent journalism as a public good.” Help close HKFP’s funding gap In Hong Kong, the number of independent news outlets has shrunk in recent years, while establishment-friendly titles have boomed, secured by state funding or the backing of mainland conglomerates and business tycoons. HKFP remains the city’s only English-language independent outlet. And we are the only newspaper in English publishing in-depth features without a paywall. How HKFP achieved 11 years of independent publishing – click to view Launched as the city’s first crowdfunded media outlet in 2015, HKFP’s team has offered frontline coverage of the aftermath of the 2014 Umbrella Movement, the mass protests and tear gas of the 2019 unrest, the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic and – most recently – the political whiplash of the security law era.Over 11 years, HKFP has published nearly 31,500 stories, won multiple awards, launched the careers of 50 local journalists, raised over HK$38.5 million to fund quality on-the-ground reporting, and was even nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. We have survived cyberattacks, threats, visa trouble, intimidation, harassment, physical attacks, surveillance, censorship in China, false complaints, media bans, a columnist fleeing, an erroneous arrest, government inspections, and more than our fair share of pepper spray and tear gas. All whilst the city saw newsrooms raided, journalists jailed, and news outlets disbanded. Our non-profit is not answerable to any media mogul, corporate monolith or government – instead, over 1,000 supporters donate an average of HK$200 per month. If you rely on our coverage to navigate the complexities of our city, or if you have never donated to a news outlet before, consider joining us on World News Day as a monthly/yearly donor and unlocking eight benefits. Support our team on World News Day Help our independent newsroom return to a firmer footing and close the funding gap. For the price of a weekly coffee, you can help safeguard the future of Hong Kong’s most financial transparent news outlet, and keep our news free for all readers. One-off donations are also welcome. Become a member with a HK$1,200+ yearly donation. Make a one-off donation. Benefits for monthly/yearly donors: 1. Exclusive HKFP deer keyring or tote. Our mascot derives from the Chinese expression “to point at a deer and call it a horse” – which warns of being deceptive for ill gain. HKFP will always call a deer a deer, and now you can own an exclusive deer plush keyring – designed from scratch by HKFP. Alternatively, opt for heavy duty HKFP tote bag. Look out for an order form in your welcome email. (Apologies, no US shipping). 2. Exclusive columns by Tim Hamlett. HKFP’s Tim Hamlett is penning extra columns exclusively for HKFP members. Sign up to receive sharp analysis on local affairs via email. 3. Previews of HKFP original reporting. Receive regular previews of our exclusive features, interviews and explainers via email, a day before they’re published on our website. 4. HKFP Monitor newsletter. HKFP Monitor is your birds-eye view of the week’s news and views from across the Hong Kong media landscape every Saturday. We round-up the essentials, what you may have missed in the Chinese press, and insights into what’s causing a buzz on local social media and in the pages of the state-run press. If you struggle to keep up, HKFP Monitor offers a one-stop, digestible summary of Hong Kong happenings, curated by our trusted team. 5. Editor’s Blogs. How do we gather the news? What does a day look like at HKFP? Does HKFP self-censor? How to survive a chief executive press conference? Our editor-in-chief shares regular newsroom insights with members. 6. Ads disabled. All third-party Google banner ads and HKFP pop-ups are disabled for members across hongkongfp.com. (Sorry, ads will remain visible in HKFP’s mobile apps.) 7. 15% off HKFP merch. Look out for the discount code in members’ emails for 15% off all HKFP merch. 8. Early access to our Annual/Transparency Report. 94% of our income comes from donors, so HKFP Members are first in line to see our Annual Report and Transparency Report every January. They include an overview of our achievements each year, and full details of our income and spending. PLUS: For donor support, all HKFP Members have a direct line to our director. 25 reasons to support HKFP 1. Fully independent – no billionaires, conglomerates or governments. HKFP is not owned by any billionaire tycoon or conglomerate, controlled or funded by any government, nor answerable to any shareholders. We are 100 per cent independent in terms of our structure, finances and editorial output. HKFP has never been beholden to powerful elites or funders. This means our reporting cannot be influenced by others, and that all decisions are made among the team in-house. Our independence is essential for maintaining the trust of our readers, and for holding those with power to account without interference. 2. Non-profit – answerable to Hongkongers, not shareholders. Our work has no commercial motive. HKFP seeks to raise enough money to power our newsroom and fulfil our mission. Any funds left over at the end of the year are carried forward to be used in the future. If we experience a deficit, savings from previous years are used to fill the gap. Examine our income and spending here. For-profit news outlets can suffer from bias, sensationalism and poor trust, as they prioritise stories which generate clicks and revenue, rather than providing a public service for readers. When an outlet becomes reliant on maximising profit, advertising and business interests can conflict with editorial and ethical considerations. 3. Proudly reader-funded – backed by 1,000 monthly supporters. 94 per cent of HKFP’s income comes directly from our readers, ensuring our press freedom and independence. The rest is from advertising, content sales, and licensing. HKFP does not rely on governments, umbrella companies or billionaire backers. Instead, over 1,000 monthly donors donate an average of HK$200 to help sustain our newsroom – the best situation for our press freedom. Just 0.3 per cent of regular readers are HKFP Members – consider joining us! 4. Hong Kong’s most transparent news outlet. HKFP is the most transparent news outlet in Hong Kong, if not Asia. We are externally audited every year, and anyone can examine our income and spending since 2015 – the year of our inception. 5. Governed by a comprehensive Ethics Code. We publish our Policies, Ethics & Best Practices as part of HKFP’s commitment to credible, ethical, and independent journalism. These ever-evolving policies underpin all of our reporting practices. They govern how we deal with certain topics, like elections; a host of issues like race, disability or hate speech; as well as how we use certain tools, like AI, or undercover reporting. They guide how we deal with accuracy, anonymity, complaints, sourcing and paid-for content, and include a staff code of conduct. The comprehensive code is backed by the Trust Project and Journalism Trust Initiative. 6. Efficiently run – we make every cent count. HKFP is run as efficiently and prudently as possible, in order to maximise the impact of our donors’ generosity. We make savings by partnering with other media outlets, using free software/tools, and making full use of teamwork and automation. We do not employ marketing staff, donation managers, or social media editors – every employee is primarily a journalist. In light of a years-long deficit, in 2024-25, HKFP slashed costs by switching insurers and merch store suppliers, downgrading software packages, adjusting staff transport allowances, finding sponsors for key costs, moving to a smaller office and halting most advertising. We make every cent matter, and we disclose our spending annually. 7. Home to multi-award-winning journalism. HKFP has been nominated for, or won, multiple awards over the years – including from the Human Rights Press Awards, the Hong Kong Press Photographers Association, and the Society of Publishers in Asia. In 2021, our newsroom was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. In 2024, we were nominated for an International Press Institute Free Media Pioneer award, as well as a Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Prize. 8. No paywalls – accessible to everyone, everywhere. Our daily reporting will always be paywall-free – we believe our journalism should be free and accessible to everyone. We ensure our news is available wherever your are: on Facebook, Bluesky, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Threads, Flipboard, Apple News, MSN, Factiva, LexisNexis, ProQuest, Telegram (or add our bot: @hkfp_bot) and through our Android and Apple phone apps. 9. Investing in original reporting. Since our early years, we have quadrupled the number of original features, interviews and explainers published annually. With over 30,000 stories published, HKFP invests in original, award-winning reporting. 10. Facing up to harassment, intimidation and government scrutiny. Hong Kong has seen journalists jailed, newsrooms raided, and media outlets disbanded as the city plummets in press freedom indices. HKFP has not been immune. We have seen cyberattacks, threats, visa trouble, intimidation, harassment, physical attacks, surveillance, censorship in China, false complaints, media bans, a columnist fleeing, government inspections, and more than our fair share of pepper spray and tear gas. Help protect what remains by supporting non-establishment media at this critical time. 11. Trusted reporting you won’t find elsewhere. By definition, our trusted journalism may sometimes be unwelcome by those in power. Whether it’s reporting on the trials of the 47 democrats, Jimmy Lai or the Stand News editors; rounding up the latest national security arrests; covering the 2019 protests from the frontlines; or providing comprehensive reporting on the Tiananmen crackdown anniversary, HKFP does not shy away when others retreat. Owing to the lack of independence and ownership issues among fellow news outlets, and given the press freedom situation and dwindling number of newsrooms, HKFP is one of the few trusted sources of news left in the city. 12. Serving Hong Kong’s minorities, as a voice of the voiceless. HKFP ensures a special focus on sexual, ethnic and religious minorities, and offers trusted coverage of the city’s domestic worker and migrant communities. As an English-language outlet, we also serve the minority who do not read Chinese. We exist to offer a voice to the voiceless and to hold the powerful to account. In 2022, our original reporting on the city’s underrepresented communities won us backing from Google’s News Equity Fund. 13. Part of the Trust Project network. In 2023, we gained the Trust Project hallmark – the first global transparency standard that proves a news outlet’s commitment to original reporting, accuracy, inclusion, and fairness. As part of their external audit, we publicly disclosed and expanded our ethical policies, standards, reporting and corrections guidelines to adhere to the eight Trust Indicators. The Trust Project seeks to improve media literacy and battle “fake news,” misinformation and online propaganda. We now join around 300 newsrooms across the world displaying the Trust Mark symbol, including the BBC, The Washington Post, Sky News, CTV and The Economist. 14. The city’s only Journalism Trust Initiative member. In 2025, HKFP became Hong Kong’s only accredited member of the Journalism Trust Initiative following a months-long external audit. The project is an ISO standard and an international mechanism rewarding ethical journalistic practices. The standard involved examining HKFP against 130 criteria, and was developed by a panel of 130 experts, including journalists, institutions, regulatory bodies, publishers, and new technology players. 15. 100% NewsGuard rating: Meeting all 9 credibility and transparency criteria. HKFP meets all nine of the NewsGuard initiative’s credibility and transparency criteria. NewsGuard lists green or red credibility scores for over 6,000 news sites, with assessments carried out by humans, not algorithms. Our 100 per cent rating reflects that we avoid false content, publish information responsibility, correct errors, label opinion and ads, avoid deceptive headlines, disclose ownership, financing and conflicts, and provide biographical information on writers. 16. Media watchdog Ad Fontes Media rates HKFP highly, above SCMP. We have been rated by Ad Fontes Media experts as providing reliable, factual reporting from a politically neutral perspective. HKFP scored 43.20 in terms of reliability and news value, similar to NPR, The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, and slightly above Sky News, The Economist and the local South China Morning Post. HKFP is among the most politically balanced news outlets in the world, according to the watchdog’s rating. With a score of 0.24 – meaning “middle” in terms of bias – HKFP is comparable to outlets such as Sky News. 17. Society of Publishers in Asia and Int’l Press Institute members. We are proud members of the International Press Institute, a 73-year-old global organisation dedicated to protecting press freedom and improving journalistic practice. HKFP is also part of the Society of Publishers in Asia, founded in 1982 to champion press freedom and promote excellence. 18. A clear corrections policy – with all errors fixed and logged. Our Corrections Policy ensures accuracy and accountability across HKFP’s work, with the date, time and details of any correction appearing clearly at the bottom of articles. We also maintain a log of every correction made to ensure we are as transparent as possible. 19. HKFP sets standards in the workplace. We are signed up to Oxfam’s Living Wage initiative to ensure fair pay for all staff, including interns. Our newsroom offers a wage in line with international news outlets, including a health care plan, mental health support and other benefits. In 2020, we enacted a Freelance Charter to set out fair terms and conditions for external contributors. 20. Our journalism has been cited worldwide. Our impact is not just measured through clicks – HKFP’s journalism has been cited in countless news reports, as well as by NGOs and governments. Our reporting has been referenced by everyone from The New York Times, to The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, the BBC, The Guardian, Reuters and others. 21. We ensure diversity – in our newsroom and in our coverage. HKFP values inclusion and diversity – both in the newsroom and in our output – as part of our adherence to fair, balanced and accurate coverage. We amplify voices from underrepresented, underprivileged or marginalised groups, and our team seeks to balance opinions from different age groups, genders and ethnic backgrounds. As part of our Diversity Statement, we have no tolerance for discrimination, prejudice or bullying and encourage job applications from candidates from minority backgrounds. 22. Boots on the ground and here to stay. HKFP remains in Hong Kong as we can speak to Hongkongers, monitor the legislature, ask tough questions of officials, attend press events, and bear witness at court during key cases. For now, it is better to have boots on the ground than attempt to report on the city from afar. Whilst the press freedom situation may be more predictable abroad, we can ensure better accuracy and nuance by staying put and navigating the situation. 23. Safeguarding press freedom. In 2016, we helped to successfully lobby the government to recognise digital media and allow online journalists into press conferences. In 2021, we distributed a free, open-source fundraising platform for the industry. And in 2023, HKFP launched an anti-censorship version of our news app. Over the years, we have also launched Ombudsman complaints to protect journalists’ access to press events, and co-signed several local and international statements to promote press freedom. 24. HKFP Members enjoy eight new benefits. Donate monthly or yearly to unlock HKFP member benefits. Members receive an HKFP deer keyring or tote, exclusive Tim Hamlett columns, feature previews, “behind the scenes” insights, early access to our Annual Report, ad-free browsing, merch drops and discounts, and full access to our HKFP Monitor newsletter. 25. We accept most payment methods – it’s easier than ever to donate. It couldn’t be easier to support us – HKFP accepts Mastercard, Visa, Amex, JCB, UnionPay, PayMe, Octopus, FPS bank transfers, Apple Pay, Google Pay and cheques. You can also donate cash at CoinDragon kiosks, back us with a Patreon membership, advertise with HKFP, provide donations-in-kind or just help us spread the word. Safeguard press freedom; keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team Support HKFP | Policies & Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps Make a one-off donation. Tom founded Hong Kong Free Press in 2015 as the city's first crowdfunded newspaper. He has a BA in Communications and New Media from Leeds University and an MA in Journalism from the University of Hong Kong. He previously founded an NGO advocating for domestic worker rights, and has contributed to the BBC, Deutsche Welle, Al-Jazeera and others. Tom leads HKFP – raising funds, managing the team and navigating risk – whilst regularly speaking on press freedom, ethics and media funding at industry events, schools and conferences around the world. More by Tom Grundy