Next Media chairman and Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chi-ying considers a media decade
What are your achievements and regrets as the paper's owner during the past 10 years?
The key achievement is that it is a money-making newspaper. This is very important, as it sustains our survival. We have also succeeded, as an 'opposition paper', in making space for Hong Kong people's voices. As more newspapers lean towards Beijing, it is important that we maintain our independence and keep a space for people to voice opposition views.
We made mistakes. Yet these were not matters for regret, but lessons. We have the humility to face up to them but we don't regret what we did. Likewise, our opposition stance is costing us about HK$200 million of advertising revenue a year due to a boycott by some advertisers. This is a very high price. Do we regret it? No. There is no free lunch in the world. You have to pay a price for what you choose to be.
What do you mean by the independence of your newspaper? How would you define it in the spectrum of the Hong Kong media?
For some, independence means taking no stance. But we can't take this approach. Many media organisations have leaned towards Beijing, while some have become the voice of the government. It is natural for us to choose to balance this view in the market, rather than just trying to present a balanced view. By independent, I mean we are independent from the power of the government, the pressure of Beijing or the influence of the business sector.
