| Since the 1997 handover when Hong Kong became a special administration of China, scholars have expressed concern over a perceived decline in freedom and credibility of once a vibrant media system. This survey study builds on previous scholarship that documents a growing rate of self-censorship in Hong Kong newsrooms. The results indicate that Hong Kong citizens are aware of this phenomenon and that they trust newspapers less than they did before 1997. Regression analyses find that perceptions of self-censorship, attitudes toward China, and attitudes toward media in general, as well as demographic characteristics, are related to this decline in newspaper credibility. |
