Hong Kong newspapers on the pre-transitional stage

Modern newspapers in Hong Kong have evolved over a period of more than 100 years from mission-based periodicals in an awkward Chinese interlanguage to one of the world's most diverse theatres of public discourse. While Hong Kong newspapers have largely begun as mouthpieces of interest groups, a formula of combining governmental and commercial interests has brought them onto the contemporary stage as vigorous and active representatives of worldwide journalistic practice. This article outlines a view of the public discourse of Hong Kong newspapers as it looks now and in historical perspective as a base for comparison as Hong Kong journalism moves through the current political transition.