- m! i) c8 L% `( E4 M' f. T公仔箱論壇本報記者昨午致電王向偉，他得悉記者身分後，回應「正在開會」，之後掛斷電話。其後記者再多次致電，至截稿前王未再接聽。據知，他日前由北京返港，親自出席黃昏編輯會解畫，稱作為總編輯，要處理很多事，亦有很多限制如死線，否認自我審查，強調此後亦有大篇幅處理，但始終未能具體說明當日為何要變成簡訊。 5 H* Z9 z0 z, }! N4 S, e% A6 a# @ 9 M5 N) e4 D0 K# v聞記者致電 王向偉掛斷電話, ~$ p9 Z+ E! j Z+ F6 a
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發電郵的兼職編輯AlexPrice昨晚回覆本報時表示，一直沒有機會與王向偉見面，現階段不便回應事件，並指希望當面與王對話，了解後始決定如何處理。5.39.217.76* U3 @+ D; X! J$ a. d2 U2 C
4 b, Z- y: ^! ?# P; P/ u2 _+ C5.39.217.76本月6日，李旺陽被揭發在醫院窗口離奇吊頸死亡，翌日本港主要媒體均以顯著篇幅報道，同日《南華早報》的印刷第一版，包括向學校、酒店等派發的訂戶版，以相當於中文報章600字的篇幅，在A8頁中國版約佔六分之一頁大小報道，並有兩名記者的署名。但其後印製的第二版即零售版，則將新聞濃縮成100字的簡訊，置於A6版左上方，網上版更失去此則新聞的蹤影，直至中午過後始重新上載原裝版本。) Y1 e- ~) R* K# O# L
; U# `2 I. ?. v R 原600字篇幅 變100字簡訊公仔箱論壇" N3 z/ a% S2 `. [- k) V& y
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Alex Price於報道見報日、即本月7日晚發電郵給王向偉，表示不少人奇怪為何有關報道簡單處理，希望王解釋。王向偉3分鐘後回覆稱，「決定是我下的」（ I made that decision） 。Alex再發電郵，關注事件是否有「自我審查之嫌」，王反駁「沒必要向你解釋」，更表明「若你不喜歡，你應該知道怎樣做」( If youdon't like it, you know what to do）。- D# U0 n1 u. K0 V# E
* e' W) S9 t$ [" a* L5 K; |TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。Alex認為回覆具恐嚇性，「擔心任何人對編輯決定提出質疑，均會被要求閉嘴或離開」，重申當其他媒體以大篇幅報道事件，向總編輯提出如此質疑亦屬合理，惟王向偉否認出言恐嚇，拒再說明（見圖）。 M. m- ^( a0 d3 ^+ G公仔箱論壇公仔箱論壇4 n k/ }" C+ E- X# L 編輯：南早公信力危在旦夕TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。5 }. a* x, K) u- K& O$ E9 o
* ?! ~& {0 z2 C7 o5 Z6 j公仔箱論壇即使Alex前日再發電郵，提出南華早報其後曾以專題、社論等顯著篇幅報道李旺陽事件，反映有其重要，然而首日確是做細了這則新聞，又稱新聞道德和該報的公信力危在旦夕，促王向偉向員工及公眾交代，惟一直未獲回覆。 4 z7 [) G2 G. b: S5.39.217.767 h$ o: h2 g$ k4 B6 r
據了解，相關人士不滿王向偉未有交代，遂向全體員工發出有關電郵，有員工再廣發傳媒，令事件曝光。TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。8 H6 e. w: p' Y% J9 H
$ t, x* n, Y& A/ hAlex Price: Hi Xiangwei ... A lot of people are wondering why we nibbed the Li Wangyang story last night. It does seem rather odd. Any chance you can shed some light on the matter? ' J- ~4 [, t: ZTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。 * v$ ]5 [ \/ g2 x王向偉: I made that decision. & ?5 j! a4 [- p2 ?/ jTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。 1 X& U# Y# T4 ?' ^Alex Price: Any chance you say why? It's just that to the outside world it looks an awful lot like self-censorship ... ! W& S. U( |' N* H6 @. z. h$ ~& xtvb now,tvbnow,bttvb7 o" D; w: O& [5 r0 j/ f
王向偉: I don't have to explain to you anything. I made the decision and I stand by it. If you don't like it, you know what to do. ! Z( u9 y' V! E5 {9 q1 c0 l5 k公仔箱論壇Alex Price: I am concerned by the intimidatory nature of your reply. A very strange editorial decision was made and everyone is wondering why. Many other news organisations splashed with the Li Wangyang story yet we reduced it to a brief. In such circumstances it is quite reasonable to ask the editor why the decision was made. Of course he may decline to say why; there could be any number of reasons, and he may well want to keep them to himself. But if the question was polite and reasonable than [then] I see no reason why the response should not be equally polite and reasonable. As it stands, I am concerned. I am now worried that anyone who wishes to raise issue with an editorial decision - no matter how much that decision appears to go against good journalism - will be told to shut up or leave. I am further concerned that my justifiable concern on this matter as a journalist may lead to the termination of my employment.5.39.217.76# B: A7 a- d- W8 n
' @( _0 F5 c+ P. f; II look forward to a chat where you can put my mind at rest. / L7 V1 Z8 I% {% j! R: L2 ATVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。( f, Q+ W' O0 i3 }
王向偉: I don't think my answer is anyway intimidatory and I don't know why you have formed your opinion.公仔箱論壇* U" Y+ f* X: |! i- F! y
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Alex Price: Xiang Wei; A good man died for his cause and we turned it from a story into a brief. The rest of Hong Kong splashed on it. Your staff are understandably concerned by this. News is printing what someone else does not want printed.Everything else is public relations. Please explain the decision to reduce the suspicious death of Li Wangyang to a brief. I need to be able to explain it to my friends who are asking why we did it. I'm sorry but your reply of"it is my decision, if you don't like it you know what to do" is not enough in such a situation. Frankly it seems to be saying "shut up or go". The SCMP has subsequently splashed on Li Wangyang, had a focus page devoted to the matter, plus editorials, two columns by yourself and other stories. Yet on the day it counted we reduced the story to a nib. 5 j3 }! ]# s/ m3 c5 ETVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。 % p: L1 ~& }" f7 j+ v5 e; `! y. ETVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。Journalistic ethics are at stake. The credibility of the South China Morning Post is at stake. Your staff- and readers - deserve an answer.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb2 E8 f A; W; o8 R# G; E4 J* s
I look forward to hearing it. . J8 F# p# k' N, o- E7 s3 ?0 P- ]5.39.217.76# B) A/ c' e' J 「已成社會事件」記協議員促交代! C. [+ y4 e& j' `2 }% A
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【明報專訊】兩個傳媒組織及3間大學新聞系學者，表示關注事件，要求澄清是否判斷失誤或自我審查。多名立法會議員敦促管理層交代，建議有關記者可向資訊科技及廣播事務委員會正式投訴，以交立法會討論。公仔箱論壇. E4 F4 w& R1 L. u, }
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記 者協會主席麥燕庭表示，《南華早報》的處理手法有別一般傳媒，令人關注有關安排是否屬自我審查還是評估失誤。另外，她無法理解為何王向偉對下屬的合理要求一直未有清晰回應，她又指事件已引起公眾關注，成社會事件，有必要清楚交代，記協已正式向王向偉提出質疑，至今未獲回覆。 . P6 |6 [" Q& `0 z4 @5.39.217.766 K6 l! d, C. [( }
新聞行政人員協會主席趙應春稱，雖然近日傳媒鋪天蓋地報道李旺陽事件，但主編確有權決定報道如何處理，但他認為，作為開明的傳媒管理層，面對員工以至公眾質疑，應作具體說明。tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb& N- U8 Q$ z; P, m5 C$ h! h
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浸 大新聞系助理教授杜耀明認為，《南早》有關做法反映有高層自我審查，或是對新聞無知，兩者皆有必要清晰交代，「若認為有充分理據，更應交代」。他說，王向偉身為地方政協，有「淡紅」色彩，「很難不令人聯想（決定）與此有關」。杜耀明稱，若傳媒機構視報章為公器，應向社會交代，又指單是今次已影響其公信力， 更莫論該報早前連串懷疑自我審查事件。TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。5 B- K# \5 ~3 \5 u1 l( C
. X+ S5 O% y. z4 {! M. K) \tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb我提出我可以給《南早》做自由撰稿，而且我不計較每個字能拿多少稿費。他聞言只是支 支吾吾。我請求報社至少讓我保留《南早》的記者資格證，這樣我還能繼續給報社貢獻各類文章。他聽了咕噥著說他要考慮一下。我後來發了好幾封郵件向他求肯，他還是不肯點頭同意。其實在這方面支持我根本不花報社一分錢。5.39.217.76" S8 \% U( o. W- h
5 u9 L5 O9 S _去年，當我得知王向偉晉升為總編輯時，我非常驚訝。不說別的，不管外界說他是個多麼資深的記者，他其實都沒多少做新聞的一線經驗，遠遠比他的很多員工要少。王在《中國日報》工作過，拿過一個新聞學碩士學位，去過倫敦參加一個相關的訓練項目，在那時短暫地給BBC工作過。據我所知，他從來就沒「在外頭跑過」——就是我們美國記者說的花多年時間踏遍大江南北做採訪。5.39.217.76! X- E/ M& _0 R$ Q" C; r
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在很多事件裏，王向偉已經顯露出他的新聞判斷不準確，但更重要的是，他一直有「審查新聞」的名聲——也許《南華早報》的大老闆、馬來西亞富豪郭鶴年和他輪流經營此報的兒女就是看上了他這點。 9 V" w" ^% ?0 y; B, e. p/ M- K# w9 `
隨便跟《南華早報》中國報道組的任何一個人聊聊，他都會告訴你王向偉是怎麼斃掉他的報道，或者怎麼要求他寫中國喜歡看到的無聊文章的。公仔箱論壇# R- r6 _4 G3 w3 t& g' y, ?
+ X7 u% N. k" o1 m1 O. v' ]tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb去年11月，我利用假期去了趟美國，坐火車去看望了中國人權律師高智晟的妻子耿和。此前，她帶著年幼的兒女溜出了被中國國保人員嚴密看守的北京的家，一路逃到了泰國，最終到達美國獲得政治庇護。 & \$ a, Z* s! m( K6 S( r! u : M! I1 ~/ m( J& Z; N) K" R4 Y# X我在高速公路旁的Burger King餐 廳裏採訪耿女士，訪談持續了三個小時。她告訴了我很多她和兒女在東南亞雨林中連夜逃亡的細節，其中許多事實從未被報道過。說到國保人員如何折磨她丈夫的時候她哭了，但當她歷數她丈夫是如何以律師的身份為社會做出貢獻的時候，她又微笑起來。講到她帶著孩子在美國所遇到的困難時，她還是忍不住流淚。她丈夫仍然 在北京被殘酷折磨和長期「被失蹤」，她的兩個孩子為此承受了巨大的衝擊。tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb: i0 f2 r6 f1 G# l, \- `4 @
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一位編輯表示對這篇報道頗感興趣。但一天還沒過他就告訴我，說王向偉（編者注：時任南華早報主管中國報道的副總編輯）駁回了這篇文章。王向偉沒有給出任何解釋。公仔箱論壇# |! t y i( e4 t0 N' C5 M6 v1 k, w
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在高短暫脫離「被失蹤」狀態期間，我是第二個見到他的外國記者。當時，總編輯Reg Chua和副總編David Lague為了這個選題跟王向偉激烈地爭論了一番——王向偉對這個故事表現冷淡。總編和副總編希望這篇報道能上頭版，王向偉卻認為它該被夾在內頁裏。他們最後相互妥協了：在被輕微刪改之後，這篇報道被放入了內頁。高智晟顯然是王向偉不希望報道的對象之一。 f6 W* \5 h& T1 G; N2 WTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。 9 r2 r0 R6 E! q$ H: W. c( W" gTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。自去年中國政府出手迫害人權律師和其他異見人士開始，許多人都被套上黑頭套、塞進車 裏然後被押到某個不為人知的地方遭受酷刑。我親眼看到了前所未有的恐嚇和由此帶來的痛楚，我覺得這標識了一種新的使人恐懼的社會趨勢，於是向中國新聞編輯組的編輯進言，建議做一篇專門的報道。當時副總編David Lague在度假。這個想法立刻被中國新聞編輯組的編輯駁回了，理由是《南華早報》已經做過受迫害的人權律師的相關選題了。我寫了便條，解釋說這次是一種全新的完全不同的社會趨勢，但我知道我是得不到回覆的。5.39.217.76, e: `0 l: D+ M; W7 U. o% Y
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David Lague幾周後回來了。我馬上把報道提交給他，他迅速回覆說：去做啊！於是我完成了整篇報道。但是稿子在中國新聞組壓了三個月沒有發出——後來我發現這是王向偉想令一篇報道的時效性縮水時常用的手法。我寫郵件向David Lague詢問，他無奈辯解道，他已經沒有以前那麼大的職權了。《異見人士的沉默》（Silence of the Dissidents）三個月後發表了。我憑藉這篇中國新聞編輯組想斃掉的稿子拿了兩個獎。 4 f% i9 u1 s& |. t1 A. h/ }1 V7 n* U5.39.217.76, |3 |& Y1 v3 D ]2 H- X, L3 {
在前總編輯和前副總編還在報社任職的時候，這兩位資深記者總是為了新聞跟王向偉先生和來自馬來西亞的報社老闆郭鶴年的女兒爭執。而老闆總是站在王向偉的那邊。有內部人士說，郭一直以來「寵愛」王向偉，因為相信他在大陸有影響力。! a( J" U$ P' J# H' @' J
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我不是第一個被踢出報社的外國記者。在我之前，一長串經驗豐富的外國記者被王向偉不予續聘。他就用這個辦法來扮無辜：你可不是被炒了哦，只是不被續約而已。現在已經沒有外國記者在《南華早報》中國新聞版供職了——很長時間不曾有這樣的狀況了。 7 m% t5 I# I3 C( ^) u! {; p; |& w+ R
駐廣州站的記者，馬來西亞人Leu Siew Ying就是個其中的絕佳一例。2006年，她因報道年前的太石村罷免事件得過歐盟委員會的洛倫佐納塔利大獎。2007年她與王先生就是否跟進報道太石村事件發生激烈爭執，又受到來自廣州政府的壓力，最終離開了報社。 # N; Z- ^6 o* f 0 z6 G9 M' \/ _/ p/ P/ ptvb now,tvbnow,bttvb王向偉在《南華早報》供職期間，好幾位外國編輯都曾被任命為總編輯，但他們都在與這位前《中國日報》記者兼吉林省政協委員鬥爭失敗後離職了。郭鶴年家族總是清楚地表明他們支持誰。 6 [ j% T8 y- @- W+ k m( O `* xTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。 ; M& Q5 D% D6 U+ d1 C公仔箱論壇不過，不僅僅是外國記者受到了打擊。跟隨便哪個負責中國方面新聞的優秀的中國或者香港記者聊聊，要他們還願意說，他們都會悄悄告訴你王向偉是怎麼斃掉優秀的新聞稿件，卻告訴他們多寫些「正面」報道。 1 ?- K% l6 X# K: t' ~公仔箱論壇 # _ m) s4 U* v, |* Z/ l有趣的是，竟是一篇好不容易才獲刊載的披露李旺陽之死的報道，最終把王向偉暴露在公眾審視之下。 ' A* S( p8 A' A9 P b& ?3 L; \ ( r( I2 C0 p6 W6 a7 W5 M3 ?當一位編輯詢問《南華早報》對此事的報道篇幅相對於其他港媒是不是太短，王向偉直接叫他閉嘴。「我不需要向你解釋任何事情。我做了這個決定而且我堅持。如果你不喜歡，你知道該怎麼做。」 8 ^2 c2 H4 I% d, L ^* tTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。6 Z- E* M: b/ h+ [9 q+ b3 f& @4 g% P& K
這條新聞獲得國際矚目後，王向偉屬下記者聯署了一封質詢信要求解釋。焦慮的王向偉回應道，他之所以在事件發生後第一天只用很小的篇幅報道此事，是因為他覺得《南華早報》還沒有充足的事實來支撐一篇大的報道。 5 S- w, y6 n9 l. ktvb now,tvbnow,bttvb 9 q N' \; I1 R5 d! cTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。但王向偉沒有說出來的是，本來報社準備了一篇更長、更充實的稿件來報道李旺陽之死，但他卻臨時抽掉稿件，把它換成了一篇小小的概要，而在空出來的版面上，放上關於台灣前總統李登輝與大學生交流的報道——這是兩天前已報導過的「舊聞」了。3 K- } l& s9 h5 |% X
' }4 k# N* e+ j6 V0 @很少人注意到的是，《南早》的問題不僅是自我審查。更令人擔心的，或許是《南早》在王向偉管理下出現的新傾向——開始刊載反映中國政府觀點的曖昧報道。tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb) L e' T0 ^" _0 H0 c2 R3 \
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今年年初，在一篇關於十一世班禪喇嘛的報道中，副總編輯譚衛兒像個高中女生一樣滔滔 不絕地說廢話，只問了這位從來沒在西方媒體報道中出現過的人物一個嚴肅的問題。李世默（編者注：上海風險投資家）是中國政府著名的辯護人之一，他在《南早》寫定期的專欄。最近他在一篇文章中不輕不重地批評了香港市民，指責他們不讓大陸雙非孕婦來港產子，還對這樣的人民是否有資格進行民主投票表示懷疑。上 週，北京大學港澳研究中心副主任強世功（編者注：強世功曾在中聯辦研究部掛職5年，著有《中國香港》一書，並引發香港作家陳冠中撰長文《中國天朝主義與香港》批判）在《南早》刊登評論，稱「香港人服從北京的領導」。5 q4 o @+ r# M: P# } T. f6 ^
" e t. i; Z8 utvb now,tvbnow,bttvb在王向偉自己發表的每週社論裏，他預測重慶市委書記薄熙來會擺脫麻煩，並且因此出了大糗。「第一，薄的政治生涯現在還很安穩，而且他也顯然扛住了黨內各路對手給他帶來的壓力。」就在薄熙來栽了個大跟頭之前，王向偉這樣寫道。 ! ]+ N+ ], m z1 S# b, p5.39.217.76 ' |+ K! T$ r8 R% p. y5 k還有一篇報道描述了拉薩的藏人是如何歡慶藏曆新年的，還引用了一位不具名的「中年藏人」的話。同時，其他媒體卻頻頻報道藏人自焚的種種慘狀。在這樣的背景下，《南早》的那篇文章看起來《中國時報》刊載的那些東西差不多。 1 l' ^2 d: g0 f0 b- \4 O& i公仔箱論壇2 S p6 _* h% ~0 C5 C4 U
雖然《南華早報》依然持續刊載優秀的中國新聞報道，但這份報紙再也不可能回到其在上世紀90年代末的狀態了，甚至回不到這三年來不斷進步的勁頭上了。 , c) o, B% Y3 e; H& ?8 I$ t- K# R0 jTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。7 r O4 N2 D4 x8 s
在王向偉的管理下，這份報紙已經失去了香港乃至於國際讀者的信任。它現在幾乎淪落為本地中文媒體中的一個笑話了。 $ s) m- s3 F! R5 h. u4 \& y公仔箱論壇5 f2 k) m e" Q" l2 v
可悲的是，《南華早報》這份歷史超過百年的老牌報紙， 可能等不到轉捩點了。失去了公信力和士氣，它一步步走向衰落，而報社內的保守主義卻日益興盛。有競爭力的記者不會願意加入這樣的報社。而《南華早報》也將因此在平庸的泥沼中越陷越深。香港英文報刊的整體前景堪憂，這真是可悲。1 n2 Q/ J; ? M; P- C, f+ y
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# b) c* P: Z' h& m% OTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。On April 22, Wang Xiangwei, the new editor-in-chief of the South China Morning Post, informed me that my contract with the newspaper would not be renewed when it expired on May 21. I can't say I was surprised. - R& y# d0 D9 U; c9 d! W TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。- a4 x# F7 H$ R4 E9 Y- x
Sitting in a hotel restaurant in Hong Kong on a hot April day, Wang stared down at the table as the conversation began,seemingly unwilling to make eye contact. After a few minutes of chit chat, I asked him directly about my contract. He fidgeted and said he would not be able to renew it due to budget problems. 9 t8 f0 R$ |! t7 w3 B: _9 ^TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。 2 @8 m% ~+ G& w7 j$ v! p7 t0 G6 d. zTo me it was clear that this was a political decision. For seven months, he had basically blocked me from writing any China stories for the newspaper. During that period, I only had two stories in the China pages of the newspaper–one on panda bears and one on compensation for AIDS victims. Some two dozen other story suggestions went unanswered by the China Desk–in one case a story was approved, but the editor told me Wang had overruled him. A half-dozen emails to Wang pleading to write more for the newspaper went unanswered. + c0 f; K/ ^0 ]1 E( x7 V qtvb now,tvbnow,bttvb TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。! u3 X0 Q+ r; A |/ E$ `) n+ V
It certainly was not about money. Following my departure,Wang hired a spate of new young reporters, many apparently from the mainland.And if there were budget problems, why was I chosen to be let go? Obviously,there were newer people at the newspaper than myself. I had been on contract for two years, and wrote my first article for the newspaper in 1990, some 22years ago. And I'd won 10 awards for my reporting for the newspaper, more than any other staff reporter.TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。! R, v1 X9 @2 c4 q* W4 b( F7 b
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When I offered to freelance and said I didn't care about the word rate, he hemmed and hawed. When I asked if the newspaper could at least allow me to keep my journalist accreditation with the South China Morning Post,so I could continue to contribute articles to the newspaper, he muttered something about having to think about it. Despite several emails asking about this, he never agreed to do this. And there was no cost in sponsoring me. ! w6 Z/ q( @8 I1 b; h- g公仔箱論壇 公仔箱論壇# i$ ]3 i! }2 S0 q) N
When the news came last year that Wang had been appointed the editor-in-chief, I was quite surprised. For one, despite talk of him being a veteran journalist, he had little actual practical experience doing real journalism–far less than a lot of his staff. Wang had worked for the China Daily, done a masters degree in journalism and had gone off to London on a training program, where he worked briefly for the BBC. As far as I know,he never “pounded the sidewalks,” as we American journalists say of a reporter who has spent years roaming around doing interviews.5.39.217.769 X x! v' n1 p! C* O
8 {3 Y- t" y2 S" w( r6 M$ A/ \: }TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。He'd shown weakness in news judgement on many occasions, but more important, he'd long had a reputation as being a censor of the news, which may be what endeared him to Mr. Robert Kuok, the Malaysian tycoon who owns the newspaper, and his son and daughter, who took turns running the newspaper.3 @& J( p7 I2 }$ R& _
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Talk to anyone on the China reporting team at the South China Morning Post and they'll tell you a story about how Wang has cut their stories, or asked them to do an uninteresting story that was favorable to China. * H3 _- V$ s0 o1 R! ^公仔箱論壇 tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb, E& Y* K1 p6 M |; D3 {- [ w( H
Last November, I traveled to the US on holiday and decided to take a train to meet Geng He, the wife of rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who had snuck past Chinese security guarding their Beijing home with a young son and daughter, making it all the way to Thailand and eventually political asylum in the US.TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。# J# t2 {0 x% J7 p' O# C: [) C; i
' @8 W4 f4 j$ Q" r) u5.39.217.76During a three-hour interview in a highway Burger King, Ms.Geng gave me unreported details about the harrowing escape through Southeast Asian jungles, much of it in the middle of the night. She cried as she talked about her husband's treatment by brutal security people, and she smiled when she recalled her husband's dedication as a lawyer. Tears fell as she described the difficulties the family was facing in the US.Both children had been seriously affected by the treatment of their father herein China, which included serious torture and forced disappearances for lengthy periods. 6 C$ t" ^$ `- f# v* ^5.39.217.76 / A% t' a1 `' w9 ^& r& sTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。An editor expressed interest in the story, but got back tome later in the day to tell me that Wang had spiked it. No reason was given.TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。3 s0 W! b$ V4 }1 s0 g& Z
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When I was the second foreign reporter to see Gao during his brief respite from being disappeared, Editor-in-chief Reg Chua and Deputy Editor David Lague had a bitter argument with Wang, who was not keen to run the story. They wanted it on the front page, but Wang wanted it buried inside. They compromised by putting the story inside and cutting it slightly. Gao Zhisheng was obviously on Wang's list of people not to be reported about.公仔箱論壇' N N) {* a: W8 p$ q' `8 J
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When the government began its nasty crackdown against rights lawyers and other dissidents last year, that saw people have black hoods thrown over their heads before being stuffed into a car, and then being taken to hidden location, where most endured horrible torture. I saw an unprecedented pattern of intimidation and pain that clearly marked a new and frightening trend and so I suggested a story to the China Desk (David Lague, the deputy editor, was on holiday at the time). The story was immediately rejected by a China Desk editor, who said the newspaper had reported on tortured lawyers already. I wrote a short note saying this was a new and different trend, but I knew it would go unanswered. 1 B/ d( ]$ V) F7 h: P7 F, X5.39.217.76 3 C- o+ ~4 H S- _ IWhen David Lague returned weeks later, I submitted the story to him and he immediately said to go ahead. I finished the story, but it sat on China Desk for about three months, a practice I later learned was not uncommon when Wang wanted to let a story shrink in importance. When I wrote to David Lague, he pleaded he no longer had the authority he used to have. Silence of the Dissidents ran three months later, and I went on to win two awards for the story the China Desk tried to kill.- |' F8 u, @- O( C" W! m
. z/ A5 I6 V2 c5 r- @6 s: ITVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。During their time at the newspaper, the two veteran journalists frequently battled fiercely with Mr. Wang over stories, with the daughter of Mr. Robert Kuok, the Malaysian owner of the newspaper, frequently siding with Wang. Insiders say the Kuoks long coddled Wang, believing he had influence in China. 1 @9 z4 O$ y1 V8 Y: G1 ~tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb ( O' ?4 U9 k+ X: f" W$ b- qNor was I the only foreign reporter to be pushed out of the newspaper–I follow a long line of foreigners–each with long experience–who saw their contracts allowed to run out by Wang–this way he could plead innocence:You've not been fired, your contract ran out. There are now no foreign reporters working for the South China Morning Post in China–a first in a long while.公仔箱論壇" }' `: r. J7 n- `$ H* D: s- X
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One good example is the case of former Guangzhou correspondent Leu Siew Ying, a native of Malaysia,who won the European Commission's Lorenzo Natali Grand Prize in 2006 for her reporting on protests in the village of Taishi the previous year. Sheleft the paper in 2007 after disputes with Mr. Wang about following up on Taishi and pressure from the Guangdong authorities. # ^' v; V& [8 r e+ a9 T8 G- Z5.39.217.76 # M) ?8 q ~! u6 v) uTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。During Wang's time with the newspaper, several foreign editors were offered the job of editor-in-chief, but most left after fighting a losing battle with the former China Daily reporter and member of the Jinlin Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. The Kuoks always made it clear where their loyalties lay.公仔箱論壇/ @ a- p% b7 w! x$ T; [5 a! Z4 M
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But this is not just a case of foreign reporters being harassed. Talk to just about any one of the excellent Chinese or Hong Kong reporters writing about China for the newspaper, and, if they're willing to talk, they'll quietly tell about Wang spiking perfectly good stories or of being told to write more “positive” articles.3 F+ L# x( K* Q0 j4 c5 `6 ^
" u3 i8 k9 @' b2 ]It's interesting that the story that finally exposed Wang was one about the mysterious death of June 4 activist Li Wangyang, which barely got coverage in the newspaper.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb# k: Y; _0 i/ z5 o. Y
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After a sub on the desk questioned this gap in the newspaper's reporting, about a story that other Hong Kong media had jumped on eagerly, Wang curtly told the sub off. “I don't have to explain to you anything. I made the decision and I stand by it. If you don't like it, you know what to do.” 6 ~/ J+ |; K" aTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。 $ z1 z! A& ` A! ktvb now,tvbnow,bttvbWhen the news gained international attention, and his own reporters signed a letter asking for an explanation, a worried Wang responded with a statement to staff that he decided to run the story as a brief on the first day because he felt the newspaper didn't have enough hard facts for a full story.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb( Q+ V# H( r0 R6 q) W# {: E
( u( x5 A: N) Q! {# T1 P4 {tvb now,tvbnow,bttvbBut what Wang failed to say was that the newspaper had in fact run a much longer story on Li's death in its first edition and that Wang had chosen to yank it, shave it down to a brief for the next edition, and replace it with an article about former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui and a conversation he had with a group of students–a story that had already run two days earlier. What few have noticed, is that self-censorship is not the only problem. Possibly more worrying is the newspaper's new-found proclivity under Wang to publish dubious stories that reflect Beijing's views. D. u& q5 p: K U# t) E 5.39.217.76; f3 i# H- z4 Y( B
Earlier this year, deputy editor Tammy Tam gushed like a high school girl in a story about the Chinese Panchen Lama, asking only one serious question of a person who has never appeared in the Western media before. Eric X. Li, a well-known apologist for China,has been writing regular columns for the South China Morning Post. In one recent article he slapped Hong Kong citizens on the wrist for not welcoming mainland women to have their babies in the territory,and then wondering aloud if a people like this deserved the right to vote. Last week came a story by Professor Jiang Shigong, deputy director of Peking University's Centre for Hong Kong and Macau Studies, that claimed “Hongkongers accept Beijing's rule.”TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。0 [0 T4 c D B- ^8 d2 M
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In his own weekly commentary, Wang had egg on his face after predicting that disgraced Chongqing party secretary Bo Xilai had escaped any serious trouble. “Firstly, Bo's political career looks safe for now and he has apparently managed to push back the pressure from his opponents within the party,” Wang wrote just before Bo fell hard. . t3 ^0 D- G8 l4 A 5.39.217.762 B. T/ }' ]5 |8 {( E1 }
Another article described Tibetans in Lhasa happily celebrating the Tibetan New Year, with quotes coming from one unidentified “middle-aged Tibetan man.” Meanwhile, more objective reports were reporting a dire situation in the Tibetan area. The article read like a China Daily story.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb+ F2 H* _7 w3 r( F
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While the South China Morning Post continues to publish good critical reportage on China, the newspaper no longer has the status it had in the late 1990s, or more recently under three years direction under Mr. Chua and Lague, when the newspaper made great advances.公仔箱論壇 O8 C& H. C6 o6 Z4 @# _
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Under Wang's stewardship, the newspaper has lost credibility with Hong Kong and international readers and is now often the butt of jokes in the local Chinese media there. Sadly, the South China Morning Post, which has a history of more than 100 years, may be beyond the point of return. With credibility and morale at the newspaper sagging, and controversies on the rise, competent journalists will now be reluctant to join the newspaper, and it can only sink deeper into mediocrity. The prospects for English-language journalism in Hong Kong is not good and this is sad.
