State, technology and market : how were the virtual public spheres created in Hong Kong?

Abstract

Public sphere is a space between modern state and society in which members of the society communicate and form a common mind. Public sphere is a key concept crucial to the construction of a matured society, and it had received adequate attention from scholars of different disciplines in Hong Kong in the past two decade. However, some theoretical gaps could be found in these past studies. For example, the development of public sphere has not yet been fully delineated. Meanwhile, the role of radio has been overlooked and underestimated. Furthermore, the agency was usually passively placed in a structure-led and linear perspective. Last but not least, also overlooked was the role of market, such as listenership, competition and ownership. As an explorative research, this study aims to explain how virtual public spheres were created in Hong Kong by means of three case studies, namely C station, H station and RTHK. Through a careful examination of Habermasian public sphere theory, the author argues that the development of virtual public spheres in Hong Kong is not accidental but closely related to the external and internal political, technological and economic environment. The current study expects to break a new ground on the discussion of virtual public spheres in Hong Kong.

This research adopts case study as its main research strategy. The primary data come mainly from the author’s in-depth interview and on-site observation at the three radio stations and other related events of importance. The objects of interview include lawmakers, radio staff, radio owners, guest presenters, and experienced media practitioners. In addition, informal conversations with different parties via email and social media, literature analysis (including the media, private papers, visual documents, and second-hand materials, etc.) and website content analysis also contributed greatly to the volume of knowledge. Target programmes were also regularly studied during the research period to ensure the accuracy of this research.

A conceptual framework of “state-governed” public sphere is constructed in this study. It is found that a “Contentious Public Sphere” was introduced by C station’s civil disobedience against the legitimacy of the licensing regime in the “state-governed” public sphere. Also, H station as a rising “Subaltern Public Sphere” was established through its impressive listenership and varied political mobilization after 2008 with the development of information technology. Finally, through the close examination of the controversial Board of Advisors and programme adjustments in recent years, RTHK was treated as a “refeudalizating” public sphere. Although not greatly damaging its credibility so far, RTHK has gradually become a depoliticizing and information-sharing platform rather than a political and debate one.

In studying the development of virtual public spheres in Hong Kong, one can better understand state-society relations in a changing partial democratic society, and find that the SAR government has tried to maintain an effective regulation on the “state-governed” public sphere in the name of accountability when facing challenges from the civil society.