Hong Kong enjoys a constitutionally-guaranteed free press and freedom of speech. More than 40 newspapers and 700 periodicals are published in Chinese and English in a city that is home to about 130 media organisations. There is no government censorship and both local and overseas publications circulate without hindrance.

All the top international news organisations maintain a presence in the territory and many trans-continental publications print their Asian editions here. As a result, journals such as the International Herald Tribune, the Financial Times, USA Today and Nihon Keizai Shimbun are available first thing in the morning.

Print

Hong Kong is served by two local English language newspapers, the South China Morning Post and the Standard.

Regional publications edited here include the Asian Wall Street Journal, the Far Eastern Economic Review and Time Magazine's Asian Edition.

Chinese-language publications range in tone from the weighty Economic Journal to the irrepressible tabloids, Apple Daily and Oriental Daily News. In between lies a huge range of political, lifestyle and leisure-orientated journals.

Newspapers and magazines from all over the world are available at newsstands.

Broadcasting

Hong Kong's two terrestrial television stations broadcast in English and Cantonese. Cable and satellite systems provide access to a wide range of channels, including CNN International, BBC World, HBO, CNBC, and the Discovery Channel. Hong Kong was the first in the world to roll out video on demand.

The government-funded broadcaster, Radio Television Hong Kong, is run along the lines of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and enjoys editorial independence. It broadcasts in English, Cantonese and Putonghua. It also relays the BBC World Service. Independent radio stations broadcast in both English and Chinese.

News Agencies

All the world's major news agencies, including Reuters, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Dow Jones Newswires and Bloomberg, have a presence in Hong Kong, where they freely collect and distribute news, data and financial information. Their services are augmented by smaller specialist agencies, including mainland Chinese and Taiwanese organisations.

Internet

Hong Kong is one of the most Internet-savvy cities in the world. It is rapidly adopting the latest wireless technology as it rolls out. The government does not seek to censor Internet access through mandatory filtering software or other measures.

Broadband is available to over 98% of households and more than 95% of business buildings.�@