Apple suspends publication what Macau people lost

Author: Liao Zhihui (Founder of Macau Academy 16)

Today, the Hong Kong Apple Daily was suspended by the Hong Kong government without a trial and conviction. In Macau, separated by a sea, some people slapped their palms to celebrate the closing of "Toxic Fruit". Xia Zong can’t speak ice, this article is not written for them; on the contrary, if you love and hate apples, you may want to know what Macao people have lost after the disappearance of apples.

Opportunity to express another perspective on life

In fact, Apple Daily has been the most popular Hong Kong media in Macau since the handover. For example, a poll conducted by the University of Macau in 2013 showed that among the print media, Apple Daily ranked second with a reading rate of 44.2%, and Apple News ranked first with a reading rate of 29.1%; in another poll in 2017, the Hong Kong and Macau Open The media has already blossomed, and traditional media are also catching up. Apple News still has an audience rate of 15%, which is on an equal footing with the online version of Macau’s first official media, Macau Daily.

Macau people don't love their own media, not only because of the lack of local themes, but of course they also have doubts about what the party newspapers say. Therefore, when people who hate Apple today celebrate the suspension of "Toxic Fruit" on social media, it actually means that another part of Macau people has lost the opportunity to express another point of view through Apple Daily.

We must admit that, whether we agree with Apple's reporting methods or not, it has been at the forefront of the struggle against freedom of speech and democracy in recent years, and there is no difference between freedom and democracy in Hong Kong and Macau. Facing those injustice and indescribable moments, many Macau people acted as the quietest resistance by pressing the share button of Apple's report. This kind of expression, which is accustomed to a democratic society, is invaluable in a non-democratic society.

After the disappearance of Apple, we will no longer be able to gracefully spread out an Apple Daily to show our dissatisfaction if we encounter crooked remarks in a tea restaurant.

As for those local media that have been supported by government funding, they can never take their place, because choosing Apple is itself a choice of value.

a helping media

Another thing Macau people have lost is a media that will help.

In 2014, 20,000 Macau people took to the streets to overthrow the evil law. If there were no reports from Hong Kong media such as Apple, it would be extremely difficult for the organizers of the "Reverse Licensing" to quickly spread the mobilization information to all Macau people within a week. Similarly, without Apple taking the initiative to interview and mobilize the organization "Macau Conscience", in the face of the government media such as Australia and Japan trying to escort the bill, it would be difficult for Macau people to understand the serious consequences of the passing of the bill, and they may even be unaware of the parade on Sunday.

In this way, only the "Jiangmen Association" who supports the bill will be left on the streets, instead of 20,000 Macao people.

Some people will say that Hong Kong media such as Dongfang, Sun and other Hong Kong media have more influence in the "anti-liar", but these media have their own tricks, and only Apple has established a cooperative relationship with local protesters. A few years ago, when I interviewed the main organizer of the time for research on the anti-liquor supplementation movement, the first media he mentioned supporting the protesters in Macau was Apple Daily.

When the local media lacks the ability to monitor, Apple has been helping Macau people have a voice at a critical moment. This principle also appeared in the " Ji Da 100 million " parade two years later.

After Apple disappears, other outspoken Hong Kong media may also disappear one after another. In the future, Macau people can only rely on themselves.

distance from Hong Kong

Finally, the disappearance of Apple also means that the distance between the two cities is getting farther and farther.

In the politically apathetic Macau, most people do not take the initiative to watch political news. Apple Daily, with its hard and soft content, has always provided our next generation with the opportunity to recognize democratic values and connect with fellow travelers in Hong Kong.

Last year, a study on the political views of students at the University of Macau showed that 76.9% of the interviewed Macau students read Apple News, while only 42.1% in Australia and Japan; these students are also more inclined to support the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.

To be honest, people’s desire for information will always exist. Even if Apple disappears, as long as Hong Kong and Macau can still communicate freely, sooner or later, the media will fill Apple’s place. But the credibility of the media takes time to develop, and the incumbents are ready to move.

As mentioned in our earlier analysis, the political agendas of Hong Kong and Macau have long diverged in the eyes of those in power, and political agendas with different motives will also profoundly affect the behavior, views and values of our next generation. No one can say for sure where the Hong Kong-Macao relationship will go, but maintaining the current unity will undoubtedly only become more difficult.

The disappearance of the apple has also taken away a lot of things, but the people of Macau may still not be aware of it.

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