The Points (website)

The Points
TypeOnline-only news
Founder(s)Finn Lau
Mark Clifford
Louisa Lim
Steve Vines
Joe Tay
Samuel Bickett
Editor-in-chiefJane Poon
FoundedJanuary 2023 (2023-01)
Political alignmentPro-democracy
LanguageChinese[1]
Websitehttps://points-media.com/

The Points (Chinese: 棱角媒體), also known as Points Media,[2][3] is a Hong Kong news website established in 2023. Founded by former journalists of pro-democratic media outlets following the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests, it operates with multiple stations worldwide to provide 24-hour international news coverage.

History

The Points was established in January 2023 by media professionals who migrated outside of Hong Kong, including ex-journalists from Apple Daily, a pro-democratic outlet shut down after the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests, as well as those from Stand News, RTHK, Cable News, and Next Magazine.[4][5] Its name was derived from the motto "to seek truth in troubled times and make clear all points [of view]".[5] Australia-based independent journalist and former head of Next Magazine Jane Poon serves as The Points' chief editor,[1] while political activist Finn Lau serves as the executive director.[6] The outlet's advisory board includes former South China Morning Post chief editor Mark Clifford, journalists Louisa Lim, Steve Vines, politician Joe Tay, and human rights lawyer Samuel Bickett.[7] Founding critics announced alongside the establishment include ex-legislator Ted Hui, politician Michael Ngan, historian Hans Yeung, political cartoonist Badiucao, and human rights activist Benedict Rogers.[7] Lau mentioned that the outlet prepared for its launch for 15 months, aiming to fill the information gap left by the shutdown of pro-democratic media outlets like Apple Daily, Stand News, and Citizen News, but it faced multiple challenges, including a lack of funding and unexplained suspensions of its Twitter account.[6] The Points had six full-time journalists and a group of stringers stationed worldwide, including in Taiwan, Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, working in shifts to report on international news from the perspective of Hongkongers and provide 24-hour coverage.[1][8] Poon mentioned that one reason for founding The Points was to unite media professionals in the Hong Kong diaspora to protect freedom of speech and expression without local censorship concerns.[8] She also observed that the diaspora often lacks a platform to express opinions and receive information amidst rising misinformation on social media.[8]

On 9 February 2023, The Points published a story about the death of ex-legislator Albert Chan, which was later revealed to be mistaken for another political activist Ed Lau (both of whom share the Chinese nickname "Big Piece").[8][9] The Points retracted the story and issued an apology the same day, but faced criticism regarding its journalistic ethics, with ex-district councilor Clarisse Yeung denouncing The Points for "rubbing salt in the wounds of the deceased".[9][10] Poon stated that the outlet revised its workflow immediately after the incident in an interview with Voice of America.[8] She explained that due to uneven staffing during shifts, only articles from Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada were reviewed before publishing, while pieces from other regions were not, and they enhanced their editorial process by reallocating staff from other shifts to help supervise those with insufficient labor despite geographical challenges.[9] The same month, The Points released stories covering the criticisms and opinions of Hong Kong Canadians regarding the Hong Kong Pathways,[4][8] and exposing Kim Chan, the former assistant to pro-democratic legal scholar Benny Tai, as a suspected spy attempting to get close to Tai.[9][11] As of March 2023, the outlet has garnered about 46,000 followers on Facebook and 28,000 followers on Instagram.[9] In September, The Points requested a public donation of HKD$270,000 to maintain operations.[12] Poon noted that while being based overseas allows them to avoid issues with the National Security Laws, it has deterred subscribers, leading to a lack of funds.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c Power, John (31 January 2023). "Making a point: Hong Kong journalists regroup abroad". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  2. ^ Alviani, Cédric (28 June 2024). "Hong Kong: At least 900 journalism jobs lost, media in exile after four years of draconian National Security Law". Reporters Without Borders. Archived from the original on 8 February 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  3. ^ Chan, Irene (28 August 2023). "Hong Kong Cantonese-language advocacy group closes after national security police raid founder's home". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  4. ^ a b 邱國強; 楊昇儒 (15 February 2023). "全球香港媒體人合辦網媒「棱角」 護新聞自由" [Global Hong Kong Journalists Co-Launch Online Media Outlet The Points to Protect Freedom Of Press.]. Central News Agency (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Trial of prodemocracy activists, foreign tech self-censorship, the Points news outlet launches". Freedom House (in Chinese). 14 February 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  6. ^ a b 胡凱文 (8 February 2023). "【離散美利堅】離散記者成立媒體《棱角》　劉祖廸坦言壓力大團隊搏盡" [[Diaspora in America] Dispersed Journalists Establish Media The Points; Finn Lau Admits High Pressure and Team Struggles.]. Radio Free Asia (in Chinese). Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  7. ^ a b "About Us". The Points (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "亂世求真報導無死角 香港傳媒人創辦網媒"棱角"" [Seeking Truth Without Blind Spots In Turbulent Times; Hong Kong Media Professionals Found Online Media The Points.]. Voice of America (in Chinese). 12 February 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d e "【專訪】訪問《同文》、《棱角》與香港民主女神：流散媒體如何在緊絀資源下生存？" [[Exclusive Interview] Speaking with Commons, The Points and Lady Liberty Hong Kong: How Do Diaspora Media Survive Under Tight Resources?]. Flow Magazine (in Chinese). 25 July 2023. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  10. ^ "《棱角》鄭重道歉聲明" [The Points's Apology Statement.]. The Points (in Chinese). 9 February 2023. Archived from the original on 14 September 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  11. ^ 李若如 (8 February 2023). "【47人案】控方呈堂疑「偷拍」片者身分曝光　潛伏戴耀庭旁逾兩年" [[Hong Kong 47] Prosecution Presents Evidence of Suspected "Hidden Camera" Identity; Undercover Next to Benny Tai for Over Two Years.]. Radio Free Asia (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  12. ^ Lam, Yin-pong (12 September 2024). "《棱角》陷財困告急 若未能籌集資金 年底將停刊" [The Points Faces Financial Crisis; If Funds Are Not Raised; Publication Will Cease by Year-End.] (in Chinese). ReNews. Retrieved 23 May 2025 – via Facebook.
  13. ^ Yang, William (16 March 2023). "Hong Kong exiles try to preserve culture and press freedom". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 30 November 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.