香港网络媒体联合声明：我们有权采访

一如所有新闻机构，网络媒体也是为公众利益服务 — 为何商务及经济发展局送58亿纳税人金钱予迪士尼？为何政务司司长要求官员不回应议员的提问？行政长官是否尝试改变立法会选举结果？— 这些问题，我们也希望在新闻发布会上向主要官员提问。

作为香港记者的一员，我们亦期望可以现场采访本星期日的选举委员会选举，报导来年的行政长官选举、其他选举及回归20周年活动。

网络媒体已成为市民接受新闻资讯的重要平台，事实上政府方面亦紧贴网媒消息，然而却以无法区分网媒性质为由，拒绝网络媒体出席政府活动、记者会，以及采访通知，此做法俨如筛选消息的发放渠道，违反新闻自由原则。

本星期二，独立调查机构申诉专员公署，裁决政府就限制网络媒体采访的安排含糊及不公。公署认同香港记者协会的说法，媒体工业生态正在转变及网络已取代传统印刷的传播方式。公署亦认同公众及媒体机构无法获得指引如何才可获准采访政府场合。

妨碍新闻自由

参与联署的网络媒体机构，曾刊出逾千篇与政府相关的新闻报导，我们部份记者亦持有香港记者协会发出的记者证。对于立法会、警方及其他公营机构，这已足够证明我们的角色。我们均是注册机构，设有办事处及聘有获认可、全职的员工。这班员工只有一个目标，就是确保我城有充份的知情权。

政府不能再假装互联网并不存在，其他国家已明白网络是选民日常接触新闻的渠道，并承认网络媒体记者身份。随社交媒体普及和传统媒体趋向单一，政府的政策不足是落后，而是损害了读者的知情权，政府回避问责。政府的不公政策，亦令以商业原则运作的网络媒体，受到不公对待。

重新审视限制网络媒体采访政策

在四月，行政长官梁振英称新闻自由是维护香港竞争力及自由社会的基石。一个月后，立法会亦进一步放宽网络媒体记者的采访安排。我们促政府当局推行下列措施，维持香港在全球上新闻自由的地位：

• 回应申诉专员公署建议，容许网络媒体采访周日的选举委员会选举，并检视网络媒体的政策

• 推出清晰认证制度使网络媒体能参与记者会并作现场报道

• 检视及放宽获取政府采访通知的指引，容许网络媒体采访

Hong Kong Free Press

香港独立媒体网

立场新闻

端传媒

社会纪录协会

本土新闻

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Joint statement: Digital media outlets have the right to report

How can the Commerce Secretary justify gifting Disneyland HK$5.8 billion of taxpayers' money? Why is the Chief Secretary telling officials not to answer lawmakers' questions? Is the Chief Executive attempting to reverse the results of the legislative election?

These are some of the questions we would like to put to Hong Kong's top officials on behalf of the public. Our journalists would also like to witness Sunday's Chief Executive Election Committee election and give proper coverage to the upcoming Chief Executive elections, district by-elections and handover anniversary events.

However, as we do not print on paper, the Hong Kong government continues to bar digital media outlets from attending government events, press conferences and accessing press releases, stating that it is "not in a position to distinguish" between online outlets. Such a practice has resulted in an unreasonable restriction on information distribution channels and is in opposition to the principle of a free press.

On Tuesday, the Ombudsman - an independent investigatory body which holds the authorities to account - ruled that the government's long-standing policies were "vague" and "unfair." It agreed with the Hong Kong Journalists Association that the industry is changing, and digital outlets are outpacing traditional media sources. It also said that the industry and the public are given "no clue" about the government's criteria for approving access.

Obstruction to press freedom

Between us, we have published thousands of news items concerning the government and some of our reporters hold Hong Kong Journalists Association press passes. For the legislature, the police and other public bodies, this is proof enough of our status. We are all registered entities, with physical offices and qualified, paid, full-time staff dedicated to one simple task: ensuring the city has an informed electorate.

The government can no longer pretend the internet does not exist. Other countries have understood that voters nowadays access their news online and have thus recognised digital media reporters. With the rise of social media and a lack of diversity among traditional media, it is not only archaic, but damaging to civic discourse when readers cannot be properly informed and the authorities hinder the media from holding them to account. It is also impedes us commercially when legacy media titles are granted access whilst newer, online outlets are banned.

Review the ban

In April, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said that "freedom of the press is essential to maintain Hong Kong’s competitiveness and free society." A month later, the legislature further relaxed access for digital outlets. As Hong Kong continues to plunge in global press freedom indices, we urge the government to:

• Heed the Ombudsman's recommendations ahead of Sunday's election and review its digital media ban.

• Roll out a transparent accreditation process so that online media outlets may access press events for on-the-spot reporting.

• Review, relax and publish its eligibility criteria for obtaining government press releases to allow digital outlets equal access.

Hong Kong Free Press

inmediahk.net

Stand News

Initium Media

SocRec

Local Press

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