Retiring Chair of Hong Kong Journalists Association: Journalism Is ‘Not Fun’ Today

In an interview two years ago, Ronson Chan mentioned that playing football was a way for him to take his mind off life's worries. Zhuoru Deng/The Epoch Times

Ronson Chan Ron-sing is a household name. Whether covering the 2019 Hong Kong protests by freedom-seeking Hongkongers, conducting sports field interviews, hosting online broadcasts, or amidst the stormy defense of journalists’ rights, he has been a familiar figure all over Hong Kong.

Just coming to the end of his three-year tenure as chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), Mr. Chan described his departure as an “honorable withdrawal” for the association’s future.

On the day of The Epoch Times’ interview, with just five days left of his tenure, Mr. Chan hurriedly joined us at the main entrance of his media office, requesting an additional 20 minutes to finalize stories. Under the camera lens, he appeared somewhat weary.

‘Quite a Journey’

During the anti-extradition movement in 2019, aimed at stopping the government from revising the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance to allow offenders to be extradited to China for trial, Mr. Chan, a former reporter of the now-defunct pro-democracy Stand News, captured on camera the fierce moments of Hong Kong police attacks, and experiencing them firsthand.

In 2022, Mr. Chan was arrested outside MacPherson Stadium, Mongkok, while on an assignment. He was later charged with “obstructing police officers” and released after paying HK$20,000 (about $2,570) bail.

In 2023, the 55th Anniversary of the HKJA, Mr. Chan expressed his regrets that the association members could not celebrate together publicly and wished to guard the last frontier of Hong Kong’s press freedom.

Reflecting on his time as a committee member to becoming the chairman of the Journalists Association, “It’s been quite a journey,” he said.

As tensions escalated between police and civilians, Mr. Chan exerted considerable effort to balance relations between frontline officers and journalists. He recalled amicable relations with the police, often meeting for barbecues and discussing daily work. During Chief Executive candidate Carrie Lam’s 2017 forum, Mr. Chan coordinated security arrangements between the Journalists Association and the police, developing mutual trust.

Mr. Chan’s once amicable relationship with the police faded during the 2019 protests, marking the start of his tumultuous three-year tenure at the Journalists Association.

Maintaining Impartiality Towards Police

During the June 4 Tiananmen Square Massacre commemoration this year, Mr. Chan, who was interviewing, was invited by the police to pass beyond the defense line, but he was later accused of breaching the cordon.

Both sides subsequently condemned each other, he said. The incident reflected Mr. Chan’s fluctuating relationship with the police over the past five years, including instances where riot police showcased their identification in front of the camera during live broadcasts and a time in which he was charged with obstruction of office due to a verbal altercation with the police.

Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang often criticized Mr. Chan, labeling him a “13-year-old journalist” in various disputes. Mr. Chan sighed at the disputes, feeling “very tired.”

Even if some media practitioners behaved improperly, the authorities should not question the legitimacy of the Journalists Association as representatives of Hong Kong journalists, he said.

Although he was once hit by a rubber bullet during frontline reporting, Mr. Chan said he never harbored ill intentions towards the police, aiming for smooth communication when discussing coverage and other arrangements, stressing mutual cooperation and respect during work.

Ronson Chan had been taken away by the police for investigation after the closure of the Stand News in 2021. Sung Pi-Lung/The Epoch Times

Advocating for Frontline Colleagues

Throughout his tenure as chairman, Mr. Chan faced relentless criticism from state media. The public often saw him sternly defending press freedom against authorities and less often witnessing his efforts to advocate for colleagues’ rights.

Recalling the Umbrella Movement in 2014, when police forcefully cleared protesters on Sept. 28, Mr. Chan noticed frontline reporters lacking protective gear. He proposed allocating funds from the Journalists Association to purchase protective equipment, but the motion failed to pass.

However, a senior member who opposed the motion later privately donated HK$300 ($38), allowing the purchase of 20 fiber helmets. This improved colleagues’ safety and was in line with international standards.

Journalism ‘Not Fun’ Today

While journalists have always been seen as the Fourth Estate of society, Mr. Chan feels that “journalism is a niche industry.” He believes that society needs independent journalists more as life in Hong Kong becomes more chaotic.

Hong Kong currently ranks 135th in the 2024 Reporters Without Borders global press freedom report. A clear plummet from the 80th rank it held in the 2021 report.

Many citizens lament the loss of media such as Apple Daily, saying Hong Kong no longer has interesting news stories.

Mr. Chan says Channel C has observed the trends in the journalism industry. “News still needs to be done, but the focus is different.” He pointed out that in the past, news could easily cover politics and justice matters, but now the line between serious Hong Kong news and “hot Internet topics” has become blurred, and the latter can also involve government policies, such as garbage levies, nightlife. ... “Now everyone is watching these together and enjoying it.”

Mr. Chan said he produces many controversial news stories for his company. Some criticize the reporting content due to his “provocative” status and even accuse him of inciting social hatred, but he scrutinizes daily reports carefully, they must be careful to “censor” every day, even reducing coverage of controversial issues like politics and military matters.

He said the reality of journalism today is very different from what it was in the past.

No Mentors to Guide Newcomers

Upheavals in the media industry in recent years have led to the continuous departure of senior colleagues, leaving the industry with a lack of fresh talent.

He felt deep regret upon seeing such committed and capable colleagues leave the industry.

Currently, young reporters face no less pressure than before, but without the experience of their predecessors, they may hesitate to ask bold questions of the ruling class.

In the past, with fierce competition among media outlets, each agency devised strategies to vie for exclusive interviews, hoping to gain more unique responses as news leads, said Mr. Chan. They ignored unreasonable rules, unlike today’s reporters, who are confined by their organization’s preset positions.

When asked if he would do something to solve the problem, once again, he said, “I don’t have any ambitions to do that.”

He believes that press freedom is tied to society’s development and atmosphere, and individual efforts alone are not enough to bring about change.

“I only hope to do my job well and that the company can expand to hire more people, allowing newbies to excel in a relaxed environment, and make reports and programs they love,” he said.

Ronson Chan appeared weary under the camera lens on the interview day. Terence Tang/The Epoch Times

Looking back on his three-year tenure, Mr. Chan has no regrets.

“If I could bear it, I would bear it,” he said.

He hopes his departure will open up new possibilities for the association’s future operations and that the authorities will eventually change their attitude towards it.

Goodwill From Jimmy Lai’s Daughter

On the day of the interview, Mr. Chan stayed up late watching a game, sleeping for only about four hours before getting up around 6 a.m. for a busy day:

He arrived at Stanley Prison at 8:35 a.m. to visit Joshua Wong, a Hong Kong activist who is serving time, seeing him in good spirits. With nothing scheduled until about 10:20 a.m., he drove to Causeway Bay for a rice cake breakfast, and then drove to the office to prepare for his live broadcast starting at 7 p.m. in the evening.

After the interview, Mr. Chan took out a box of vanilla cream cake from the fridge, which was sent by the daughter of Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong media tycoon who is now facing trial on charges of breaching Hong Kong’s National Security Law.

“The cake looks exquisite from the outside, and the price must be high,” he said.

Mr. Chan’s colleague reminded him to pay attention to his diet because of his diabetes, he chose try the cake.

Ronson Chan eats a piece of cake in his office. Terence Tang/The Epoch Times

As the saying goes, “Do not do what is wrong because it is small; do not refrain from doing what is right because it is small,” Mr. Chan spent each day choosing to do small actions right.

While he may appear in public less frequently with the completion of his tenure, he is committed to returning to normal media work and being a good “gatekeeper” just as he is on the football field.