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Following is the speech delivered by the Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, at the opening ceremony of the 3rd Pulitzer Prize Winners Workshop held at the Hong Kong Baptist University this (November 2) afternoon:
Professor Ng (Ching-fai), Consul General Marut, Mr Cheng (Yan-kee), K C (Chan), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon.
I am delighted to join the Hong Kong Baptist University and the Hong Kong Economic Journal in welcoming seven Pulitzer-winning journalists to Hong Kong.
Joseph Pulitzer once said that an able, public-spirited press with the courage to do the right thing can, and I quote, "preserve that public virtue without which popular government is a sham and a mockery." End quote.
Governments and the media have a long and complex relationship. We may not see eye-to-eye on all the issues but at the end of the day, we need each other. This workshop tackles the changing mission of journalists today, and I for one would be interested to learn more about your thoughts on this topic. Any shift in journalistic trends affects us all.
Governments rely on high-quality and responsible journalism to keep them in touch with issues in society and to get their messages across to the public. The public relies on journalists to provide them with reliable and accurate information and assessments.
Although the Internet, 24-hour broadcasting, globalisation and new technologies are altering the nature of this relationship, one thing that will not change in Hong Kong is the freedom of journalists to do their job. The free flow of news, information and ideas is a cornerstone of our city's success. It has helped us attract investment and talent, and is one of the reasons we like to call Hong Kong, Asia's world city.
We are committed to protecting freedom of speech and of the press, and maintaining an environment in which a free and active media can flourish.
The freedoms I have mentioned are fundamental rights enjoyed by everyone in Hong Kong. Not only is this a promise kept under the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, it is also enshrined in our constitutional document, the Basic Law, and in the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance.
This has helped to sustain a lively media scene in Hong Kong. More than 40 daily newspapers and 640 periodicals are published in Hong Kong, and about 90 international media organisations have established offices here. In addition, local and overseas broadcasters offer a wide range of programming. That's not bad for a city of seven million people.
But quantity should never be mistaken for, or take priority over, quality when it comes to the media.
The media industry is powerful and highly competitive. The pressure to be first with a story or produce the catchiest headline can be intense. But, as the Spiderman films remind us, with great power comes great responsibility.
Successful reputations and distinguished careers are built on integrity and accuracy while distorted facts and fabricated (or even vindictive) stories can break the bond of trust between the media, Government and the public.
Reading the bios of the Pulitzer Prize winners here today, it is clear that there is no substitute for integrity and sheer hard work.
Congratulations to the Baptist University and the Hong Kong Economic Journal on staging this workshop and providing a valuable platform for discussion on the media profession. Now in its third year, the Pulitzer Prize Winners Workshop is helping to further lift journalism standards in Hong Kong and enhance the quality of media studies.
I wish all participants a successful workshop and our distinguished visitors a memorable and enjoyable stay in Hong Kong.
Thank you very much.
Ends/Monday, November 2, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:15
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