中英社評/釐清真假記者 維護新聞自由
Distinguishing genuine journalists from counterfeit ones to safeguard freedom of the press
警方昨日宣布，將修訂《警察通例》中關於「傳媒代表」的定義。新修訂下，本地傳媒機構需在政府新聞處發布系統登記，其記者資格才被認可。這一決定，實際上是堵住了香港記協對假記者發證的漏洞，有利於辨別出真假記者。警方此舉撥亂反正，是維護新聞自由的及時、必要之舉，值得點讚。
持續大半年的黑暴，將香港社會的深層次矛盾暴露無遺，假記者氾濫成災是其中之一。在香港，做「記者」太容易了，只要花幾十元在某組織那裏買一張記者證，再從商店買一件黃背心披在身上，無論是學生、神父或者一臉稚氣的孩子、來歷不明的網媒從業者，都可以自稱「記者」，大模斯樣地出入暴亂現場「採訪」。新聞素有「第四權」之謂，記者本來是令人尊重的行業，需要接受專業的訓練，但一大群毫無專業背景的人成為「記者」，這是對真正記者的侮辱，對新聞行業的踐踏。
假記者濫竽充數還在其次，最可惡是他們在黑暴中扮演的可恥角色。那些假記者置身警方及暴徒之間，其工作不是採訪，而是阻撓警方執法，為暴徒爭取逃亡時間，亦為被捕者通風報信。有些人穿上黑衣就打砸搶燒，套上黃背心又變回「記者」，兩種角色不停轉換。說穿了，假記者與暴徒是蛇鼠一窩，記者證及黃背心不過是道具或護身符而已。
有一張相片令人印象深刻，畫面中，一名警察擎槍指向暴徒，警察本人則被一大群「記者」用「長槍短炮」圍困，真實地反映了警方執法的困境：不僅要對付窮兇極惡的暴徒，還要應付這群假記者。事實上，這群假記者的鏡頭一直聚焦於警方的一舉一動，從不對準暴徒，根本沒有客觀平衡可言。在這群人的操弄下，執法的警方變「犯法」，而犯法的暴徒成「英雄」，大量謠言如「831太子站打死人」、「知專少女被拋屍」、「新屋嶺強姦案」等，經過這群假記者繪聲繪色的編撰及傳播，影響惡劣，嚴重損害警方形象。
新聞自由是香港核心價值之一，但濫用新聞自由就與犯罪不遠。記協與假記者是一根藤上結出的兩顆毒果，問題到了不能不正視、不能不解決的地步。警方今次果斷出手，為「記者」正名，也間接斬斷了記協濫權縱容假記者的黑手。事實再次證明，只要精神不滑坡，辦法總比困難多，只要政府官員敢於作為，就一定能掃除污泥濁水，還香港安寧。
2020-09-23
Hong Kong police announced yesterday that the definition of “Media Representatives” in the Police General Orders would be revised. According to the new revision, press accreditation of a journalist issued by a local media group or journalist association will no longer be recognised unless it is registered with the Government News and Media Information System （GNMIS） of the Information Services Department’s （ISD）. This decision in fact plugs the loophole in the issuance of press accreditation to fake reporters by the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), and is of help to tell apart genuine journalists from fake ones. This timely and necessary move taken by the police rights a wrong to safeguard the freedom of the press. Such a move is praiseworthy.
The rioting by black-clad mobsters, lasting for over half a year intermittently, has thoroughly exposed the deep-rooted problems in Hong Kong society, one of which being that counterfeit journalists run wild. In Hong Kong, it is extremely easy for one to become a reporter. Any person - no matter whether he or she is a student, a priest, a babyish teenager or a practitioner in an on-line media outlet of unknown origin – can claim him/herself to be a “reporter” and swagger to “cover news” at a scene of rioting, so long as he or she has purchased a press card from a certain organisation with dozens of dollar and put on a yellow vest bought from a store. The news media is known as “the fourth estate (power)”, and journalism itself is a respectable profession and journalists must receive professional training. The fact that a big bunch of people without any professional background now can easily become “journalists”, however, is an insult to genuine journalists and a trample on the profession of journalism.
It is one thing that so many people could easily pass themselves off as reporters, but the most disgusting thing is that they play a shameful role in the riots by black-clad mobsters. Those fake reporters would place themselves between police officers and rioters, their job not to cover news but to obstruct police officers in the execution of duty and gain time for the rioters to escape, and also to tip off information about the arrested suspects. Some of them, clad in black, would assault, smash, loot and set fire, and in an instant change to become “reporters” again by putting on a yellow vest, thus shifting from one role to another alternatively. To put it bluntly, counterfeit reporters act in collusion with the rioters, while press cards and yellow vests are nothing but their “stage props” and protective talismans.
There is a photo that makes a deep impression on viewers. In the photo, a police officer holds his gun pointing at rioters, but he himself is besieged by a large group of “reporters” armed with “long and short guns (cameras with long-focus or wide-angle lenses)”. This picture truthfully depicts the predicament faced by the police force in the execution of duty: they have to deal with not only the atrocious mobsters but also such a group of fake reporters at the same time. As a matter of fact, the cameras of this group of fake reporters are trained always on every act and every move of police officers but never on any of the thugs. As such, how could there be any objectivity and balance in their reports? Manipulated by this group of people, police officers enforcing the law appear to be “breaking the law”, while law-breaking thugs become “heroes”. A large number of rumours - such as “some citizens were beaten to death by police officers in the MTR Prince Edward Station on August 31”, “the body of a killed girl student with the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) was dumped into the sea”, and “there were rapes in San Uk Ling Holding Centre”,etc.–were vividly fabricated, edited and spread by this group of fake reporters to make a baneful influence, which has seriously damaged the image of the police force.
Freedom of the press is one of Hong Kong’s core values. But abusing the press freedom is not far away from committing a crime. The HKJA and fake journalists are two poisonous fruits growing on the same vine. By now the problem can no longer be ignored and remain unsolved. The police resolutely take action this time to rectify the name of “journalists”, which also indirectly chops a black hand off the HKJA which abuses its power to indulge fake reporters. The fact once again proves: “there are always more ways out than difficulties as long as one maintains a positive mentality.” So long as government officials dare to do something to make a difference, it is certain that all the sludge and filth in society will be washed away and peace will come back to Hong Kong.
23 September 2020
