Explainer: What is the Hong Kong Journalists Association and what does it actually do?

Security chief Chris Tang has repeatedly hit out at the city’s embattled press union, the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA). In 2021, he claimed it was “breaching professional ethics,” casting doubt over its representativeness and credibility, weeks after the state-backed press labelled it an amoral “anti-government political organisation.”

On the eve of the HKJA’s executive committee election in June, Tang said the candidates looked “more like a foreign journalist association to me. Most of them are journalists from foreign media, some are freelancers, some are not even journalists.”

The association is, in fact, the city’s largest press union. With 338 members as of June, it is the industry’s most representative union by numbers. And, with Hong Kong having long been an international media hub, it has always counted foreigners among its ranks. Indeed, it was founded by Australians Jack and Margaret Spackman in 1968.

As for involvement by non-journalists, one committee member is elected from the public relations sector – an industry adjacent to journalism – whilst freelancers are welcome if most of their income is derived from journalism.

But, as Hong Kong’s oldest press union perseveres under a newly-elected leadership, what exactly does it do? Are its activities as nefarious – or as political – as state-run media and officials have suggested? HKFP examines its day-to-day operations and delves into its recent work report.

Press freedom and labour rights

As a registered union the HKJA seeks to improve working conditions for, and provide aid to, local journalists in an attempt to remove barriers they face in newsgathering.

Its publicly-accessible constitution states that it works to settle disputes between members and employers, as well as enhance journalistic standards, and “safeguard and promote freedom of expression in general and press freedom in particular so as to create a beneficial environment for journalism.”

It has channels to process public complaints about any unethical reporting practices by the local media, though it is powerless to punish or prevent misconduct. And it often publishes statements, and looks to reach out to the government, on matters of press freedom.

In order to promote the welfare of its members, the union says it may decide to provide monetary relief, arrange legal advice, or cover expenses for those facing hardship, and it also hosts educational workshops and clinics to assist with professional development.

In the past, it has hosted journalism awards, sold books and merchandise, and commissioned surveys, and it continues to carry out online and offline fundraising activities.

2023-24 Work Report

At its June annual general meeting, the union highlighted press freedom issues to which it had dedicated resources over the previous year.

• Last June, the HKJA proposed an exemption for journalists in the government’s legal injunction to ban the pro-democracy song Glory to Hong Kong. The city’s top court ultimately granted the exemption for news reporting.
• Last August, it raised concerns about the closure and layoffs at Sky Post.
• When a South China Morning Post reporter appeared to go missing after a reporting trip in China last year, the HKJA shared a statement expressing concern.
• The union wrote to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority last November, protesting the restrictive media arrangements for a financial leaders’ summit.
• The union supported Bao Choy after she was prosecuted over checking a vehicle licence plate online as part of an investigation into alleged police misconduct in 2019 for an RTHK documentary. Choy won her case at the Court of Final Appeal, but the government in January rolled out new restrictions on public access to vehicle registration details. Under the new regime, no journalist has been able to access such records, leading the HKJA to write to the Transport Department and launch a judicial review in April.
• When the government launched a public consultation over a new security law in January, the HKJA raised concerns about press freedom under the proposed legislation. It organised a seminar with journalists, sent questionnaires to members and made submissions to the Security Bureau. However, the proposals were not heeded, and the authorities refused to meet the union.
• A representative from Reporters Without Borders was detained then deported from Hong Kong after she arrived for a visit in April. The HKJA issued a statement criticising the move.

The HKJA also assisted a journalist who said they had experienced workplace bullying at an international news outlet, as well as a member who faced defamation charges relating to their outlet’s court reporting. Another received assistance over a pension dispute, whilst an ex-Apple Daily employee received help over unpaid wages.

Whilst battling an Inland Revenue Department tax review, and scrutiny from the Registry of Trade Unions, the HKJA was forced to reschedule its annual fundraising dinner and revert to an online event after a last-minute venue pull-out.

The press group organised a number of workshops and seminars over the year leading up to June.

The association also organised a number of social activities and visits for its members.

The HKJA’s 338 members include eight student members and seven lifetime members – mostly made up of former chairpersons.

Its audit shows that most of the HKJA’s HK$623,649 income in 2023-24 was derived from its anniversary gala dinner, whilst most spending went on staff salaries.

All HKFP staff are HKJA members whilst reporter Hans Tse sits on the HKJA Executive Committee.