Am730, is free daily Cantonese newspaper published in Hong Kong, the third with the prior two being Headline Daily and Metropolis Daily. Shih Wing-ching, chairman of Centaline Holdings, a property agency, is the founder of the newspaper. He introduced the new paper due to the unprecedented success of Metropolis Daily, a pioneer in this market. Metropolis Daily was founded in 2002, and was so successful that it broke even in only fourteen months. Realising the profitability of the market, Shih established am730 in late July 2005.
Owned and operated by AM730 Media Limited, am730 launched its first publication on 30 July 2005. It had been scheduled to be launched in September, but it was rescheduled to 30 July to keep up with one of its competitors, Headline Daily, which was launched on 12 July 2005, and for convenient coincidence that the date of 30 July (730) corresponded with the name of the newspaper. Two hundred thousand copies of am730 were issued at its first publication and its current circulation volume is around three hundred thousand copies daily.
The name of the newspaper is intended to suggest a fresh approach towards the methodology of naming newspapers. It does not incorporate the term "daily" because this word reflects the conventional way of naming a news journal. The name literally states the newspaper's aim to distribute the publication during rush hour, which is approximately 7:30am.
According to Shih, the newspaper is tailored to young people. 7:30am is about when the sun rises; it signals vitality, just like the young people who are at the start of a long journey through life. It is a new vision aimed to change the old quality of Hong Kong newspapers. In its first week, am730 sold one hundred thousand copies. Eventually, it aims to increase circulation to three hundred thousand copies, which is similar to the other two free newspapers (Metropolis Daily: 300,000; Headline Daily: 400,000).
In January 2014, Shih revealed that many mainland companies were cancelling advertising with the paper, for its perceived anti-Beijing editorial stance.[1]
Language and style
The journal tends to adopt internet slang and other expressions which are widely used on the Internet and popular among youth. The newspaper official says it is advisable to use internet slang and does not think that colloquial expressions in newspaper articles will affect young people's language proficiency. What is more crucial is using popular language to convey messages. am730 intends to offer a fresh sensation in news to its readers; it aims to widen the horizon of its readers, both internationally and culturally, and to promote an optimistic outlook on life and hopes for the future.[citation needed]
While being consistent with market regulations, am730 is a real newspaper which offers more attention to journalistic principles. Unlike numerous other newspapers, am730 is against the idea of indecent news as the selling point. It wants to provide a newspaper with accurate, simple news reports targeted to youth who have just begun their careers. The fresh, youthful style of am730 is designed to encourage more young people to read newspapers. Shih hopes that through this free newspaper, young people in Hong Kong will cultivate a greater interest in the news and in the future of Hong Kong.[citation needed]
Headline Daily, a newspaper which belongs to Sing Tao, is the primary competition for am730. Shih admits that Headline Daily has more resources than the privately investigated am730 because of its attachment to Sing Tao Daily, but that dependence on Sing Tao would harm the independence of its organisation.
Content
The paper includes local, China, international, financial, entertainment and sports news. Additionally, Shih Wing Ching writes a column called "C Viewpoint" in which he gives his daily commentary on local or international news. "730 Angle" is also a commentary column, but for people from all walks of life. "Snapshot Hong Kong" is a column which cold-contacts youngsters on the street to ask their opinions. Hence, the major target of am730 is the young working class and it defines itself as a youth publication in the newspaper market.
The detailed layout of the newspaper is as follows:
Front page
The lead story of the day occupies almost the entire page of the paper, filled in with colourful illustrations. The other stories vary from local top stories to China and international news.
Similar to a traditional newspaper, on the left corner is a column which briefly highlights the news of secondary importance that is available inside the paper. The highlights vary, including local, China, international, entertainment and sport news. At the bottom of the column is a display of the Mark Six results.
Local
Typically, around three to four pages are allocated to the local news section. More important news such as politics and policies are reported in greater length than city news such as accidents and events. To maximise space usage, even the banner at the top of the page is used to cover brief news accounts. Shih's personal column, "C Viewpoint," can also be found in this section.
There is also a column for weather forecasts for local, China and international locations. The banner of this section is sky-blue in colour.
China
News from China and related to China's interests takes up about one to two pages of the paper. The banner colour of this section is khaki.
International
The international section covers major news around the world. The banner colour of this section is dark blue.
Features
When this section appears, it is placed in the middle of the paper and covers two pages, but it is not always printed. At times, the middle pages are occupied by a full-page advertisement. Feature stories, when available, offer in-depth reports and analysis.
Finance
This is a short, concise one-page section on financial and business news, both locally and on the international arena. The banner colour of this section is dark green.
Sports
The Sports section covers both the local and the international sports scene. On average it provides a scoreboard summary of final scores and, on occasion, a brief schedule of live sports coverage on television. The banner colour of this section is light green.
I.T.
The I.T. section is dedicated to news of technological advancement and electronic products, including mobile phones, computers, television and much more. Not to be missed is news of the Internet and recommended websites. The banner colour of this section is light green.
Notes
The Notes section usually offers articles of interesting, sometimes absurd events happening around the world. The banner colour of this section is purple.
OL (Office Lady) and Health
This section is dedicated to young working women, similar to those offered in popular women's magazines. Besides tips and advice on women's health and beauty, there is also a section dedicated to relationship advice for women readers with personal problems. The banner colour of this section is pink.
Entertainment
This section offers entertainment news regarding celebrities, music and movies. There are usually two pages dedicated to this section. One page focuses on local Hong Kong celebrities, while the other covers international celebrities. There are occasional extras in this section such as movie reviews and basic introductions of a foreign language. The banner colour of this section is mustard yellow.
Readers
"730 Angle" offers letters and readers' opinions on various issues. There is also a small section on events and book reviews. On the right hand corner is a "snapshot" section dedicated to teen fashion and trends, including the mobile phones they use.
Leisure
This section that relates tips and overviews of leisure activities. Generally this section contains comics, western horoscopes, tarot predictions of the future, and cooking tips and recipes.
Television
This section provides a selected schedule of programmes offered on both local and cable television. At the bottom section, there is a review of some recommended programs. Last but not least are the credits of the editorial team as well as a list of contacts for the newspaper.
Back page
The back page of the paper is typically occupied by a full-page advertisement.
Generally, the news accounts presented are brief and limited, due at least in part to space limitations. As am730 is a free newspaper, the operating cost largely depends on the advertisement revenue. A full-page advertisement appears on every other page, mainly placed between the local news section and the finance section. Smaller advertisements are scattered throughout the newspaper.
Editorial team
Currently, the editorial team consists of 50 people. Key staff are:
The initial launch of the newspaper cost up to HK$100 million. It was Shih's private investment. At the first stage, working capital was just HK$50 million; another HK$50 million will be invested if the operation proves successful. Shih Wing-ching expects that revenue and expenditures will be balanced after a year of publication.
As a free newspaper, the major operational revenue is gained from commercial advertisements. After the first month of publication, the revenue gained from commercial advertisements was HK$100 million while am730 still needed to bear HK$100 million to HK$200 million in losses every day. The advertising rates in am730 are estimated to be HK$24,000 – HK$30,000, 30% to 40% lower than Metropolis Daily's rates of HK$32,000 to HK$40,000. This is a strategic action to attract more advertisements.[citation needed]
am730 is distributed from Mondays to Fridays (except public holidays) at around 287 locations. Distribution locations include railway stations along the East Rail line and West Rail line, the entrances of Mass Transit Railway (MTR) stations, private residential areas, and many points in the Central business district (or CBD).
Due to limited human resources and the specific target group of am730, early distribution points were not as efficient. Its main focus is now in the commercial districts of Hong Kong such as Central, Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui.
Other services
Online papers
am730 is also accessible online. Besides viewing the most recent issue, readers can also view archived issues of am730 online. The e-paper is formatted in such a way that it resembles the actual printed paper.[citation needed]
Apple Daily was a popular tabloid published in Hong Kong from 1995 to 2021. Founded by Jimmy Lai, it was one of the best-selling Chinese language newspapers in Hong Kong. Along with entertainment magazine Next Magazine, Apple Daily was part of Next Digital. The paper published print and digital editions in Traditional Chinese, as well as a digital-only English edition. A sister publication of the same name remained operational online for a time in Taiwan under a joint venture between Next Digital and other Taiwanese companies.
Metro Daily was the Hong Kong edition of Metro, which publishes free newspapers around the world with 25 editions in 16 countries in 14 languages. It was the first free newspaper in Hong Kong.
Ming Pao is a Chinese-language newspaper published by Media Chinese International in Hong Kong. In the 1990s, Ming Pao established four overseas branches in North America; each provides independent reporting on local news and collects local advertisements. Currently, of the overseas editions, only the two Canadian editions remain: Ming Pao Toronto and Ming Pao Vancouver. In a 2019 survey from the Chinese University of Hong Kong sampling 1079 local households, Ming Pao was listed as the second most credible paid newspaper in Hong Kong.
Sing Pao Daily News is one of the oldest Chinese newspapers in Hong Kong, first published on 1 May 1939 by the Sing Pao Newspaper Company Limited (成報報刊有限公司) under Ho Man-fat. It was initially published every three days, later becoming a daily.
Oriental Daily News is a Chinese-language newspaper in Hong Kong. It was established in 1969 by Ma Sik-yu and Ma Sik-chun, and was one of the two newspapers published by the Oriental Press Group Limited. Relative to other Hong Kong newspapers, Oriental Daily News has an older readership.
Hong Kong's media consists of several different types of communications of mass media: television, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, websites and other online platforms.
The Hong Kong Economic Journal (HKEJ). is a Chinese-language daily newspaper published in Hong Kong by the Hong Kong Economic Journal Co., Ltd.. Available in both Hong Kong and Macau, the newspaper mainly focuses on economic news and other related, usually political issues. The newsjournal is also available to some air passengers – those travelling to the United States, Canada, and Europe. It is authorised by the Hong Kong government to publish announcements related to some law issues.
The Sun was one of the newspapers in Hong Kong, first published in March 1999. It belonged to the Oriental Press Group Limited (東方報業集團有限公司). The paper ceased publication in April 2016.
The Standard is an English-language free newspaper in Hong Kong with a daily circulation of 200,450 in 2012. It was formerly called the Hongkong Standard and changed to HKiMail during the Internet boom but partially reverted to The Standard in 2001.
HK Magazine was a free English-language alternative weekly published by HK Magazine Media Group in Hong Kong. Launched in 1991, it offered coverage of local affairs, social issues as well as entertainment listings. The 1000th issue was published in 2013, the same year that it was sold to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) group. The magazine printed its final issue on 7 October 2016. This was the third SCMP subsidiary to close since the takeover of the newspaper by the Alibaba Group.
The Hong Kong Commercial Daily (HKCD) is a Chinese state-owned newspaper, published in broadsheet format in Hong Kong and dubbed “China’s international media window” by the central government. Established in 1952, it was the first financial newspaper in the Chinese language. It is one of the few newspapers authorized by the Hong Kong SAR government to publicize legal announcements, and also the only Hong Kong newspaper allowed to be circulated freely in mainland China. It is controlled by the Hong Kong Liaison Office and has a branch office in Shenzhen.
Headline Daily is a free weekday mass-market newspaper in Hong Kong. It was launched on 12 July 2005, by the Sing Tao group, as the territory's second free Chinese-language newspaper, after Metro Daily. Coverage includes local and international news, business, entertainment, lifestyle and sports. Soon after launch, it had a daily circulation of around 900,000-1,000,000.
Shih Wing-ching is a Hong Kong businessman. His family are from Ningbo in Zhejiang province but he came to Hong Kong at an early age. In 1978 he established Centaline Property Agency Limited, which is now one of the largest property agencies in both Hong Kong and China.
The South China Morning Post (SCMP), with its Sunday edition, the Sunday Morning Post, is a Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper owned by Alibaba Group. Founded in 1903 by Tse Tsan-tai and Alfred Cunningham, it has remained Hong Kong's newspaper of record since British colonial rule. Editor-in-chief Tammy Tam succeeded Wang Xiangwei in 2016. The SCMP prints paper editions in Hong Kong and operates an online news website that is blocked in mainland China.
The Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) is an examination organised by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA). The HKDSE examination is Hong Kong's university entrance examination, administered at the completion of a three-year senior secondary education, allowing students to gain admissions to undergraduate courses at local universities through JUPAS. Since the implementation of the New Senior Secondary academic structure in 2012, HKDSE replaced the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination and Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination.
Jacqueline Pang is a Hong Kong live television compère/host, interviewer, author, and has been a radio announcer and DJ on RTHK since 1998. Pang is fluent in English and Putonghua, in addition to her native Cantonese.
James "Akio" Xiang is a travel writer, broadcaster, TV host and columnist from Hong Kong.
The 2013 Hong Kong dock strike was a 40-day labour strike at the Kwai Tsing Container Terminal. It was called by the Union of Hong Kong Dockers (UHKD), an affiliate of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) on 28 March 2013, against contracting companies to whom workforce management had been out-sourced by the Hongkong International Terminals Ltd. (HIT), subsidiary of Hutchison Port Holdings Trust (HPHT), which is in turn owned by Hutchison Whampoa Ltd (HWL), flagship company of Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong's richest man. The strike workers demanded better pay and working conditions. The strike ended on 6 May 2013 when the strikers accepted the offer of 9.8% pay rise. It was the longest running industrial action in Hong Kong in years. Public support and media attention on the strike were unprecedented in the city's history. Some observers marked this as the rejuvenation of political engagement.
Freeing HK is a real life escape game and the first room escape based game company in Hong Kong which was founded by four Post 80s and 90s in 2012. Players are given a scenario and have to break out of a locked room within 45 minutes, and each player can only enter each themed room once.
Environmental problem caused by free newspaper – "Gather free newspaper practice of residents and its relations to environmental issues" (收取免費報紙習慣與環保關係意見調查). A survey conducted by Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
