How about Hong Kong? Rikkie L.K. Yeung in hkjournal.org thinks that the progress of political use of the new media in Hong Kong seems lagging behind UK or US. However, as the people engaging in political parties is getting younger (belong to internet-sawy generation), and the internet penetration rate is getting higher in Hong Kong, more politicans are willing to explore the potential of “e-politics”. They use the new media in a variety of ways for variety of purposes, but the effect is especially well-known during special political events, like elctions. During the Chief Executive election last March, both the two candidates, Alan Leong and Donald Tsang created their blog for election campaign. Coming to the Legislative Council by-election this month, most of the seven candidates have used the blogs provided by Yahoo. Regina Ip and Anson Chan have joined the facebook gorup. Anson Chan podcasted her speech on facebook. The two ladies both recieved more than hundred of comments on the facebook. The new media allow them to have interactive dialogues with the public.

Although the candidates’ engagements in the internet have created much excitement for the election, Raymond Wong, an experienced critic on media and the Chairman of League of Social Democrats in an interview with me does not believe the romanized impact of “e-politics” in Hong Kong. He appreciated that the new media have provided more means for politician’s promotion and more platforms for the marginalized sexual and racial groups to espress their ideas. In his opinion, the target audience of a politician’s blog, for an example, is narrow and limited. Most popular blogs as such accumulate not more than several hundred thousand hits. Moreover, its impact on political results is always indirect as the new media in Hong Kong politics are mainly found with the democracy movement and opposition to government policies, like his My Radio.

Raymond Wong suggested that mass media’s impacts on political event may include to reinforce voters’ intentions, set political agenda, increase voting rate, but it cannot easily affect voters’ choices. The new media which he sees as a narrow communication would not has a more powerful political impact than those of mass media. Although the political use of the new media partly contributed to the high voting rate (52%) of the Legislative Council by-election, the temporary popularity of political use of the new media quickly disappear after the end of election.  

Although the political impact is not prominent in this stage, Raymond is not pessimistic about the opportunity of the political use of the new media. The crucial advantage of the new media is the idea of digital democracy. The digital media tools are accessible, affordable, interactive to empower individuals to participate in politics and enrich grassroots democracy despite there are still many internet restriction and  blocking in some countries. According to Raymond Wong, due to some political reasons, he can no long be the programme host of any radio stations in Hong Kong which he was used to be. The new media provide the platform for him to express his political view when all the main stream media which affraid to bare the risk of his anti-China opinions close the door for him.

Raymond Wong is like many other political bloggers, internet radio operatiors and activist journalists who are facing the challenge of funding and manpower sources. My Radio is now founded by Wong and another friend of him. He is looking forward to accumulating more audience which may allow him to find sponsors for the web site.  In this way, the web radio can be self-sustainable.

1) Introduction of “pro-democracy” parties: Who they are, when and how they were established, what their political visions are, how their performance in 2003 DC Election is… (Links, graphic, pictures, info table and static text:100 words)

2) The information of “pro-democracy” parties in running for 2007 DC Election: How many candidates of “pro-democracy” run for the election, how their candidates are distributed over the 19 districts, Where their sphere of influence is, Which candidates are significant to focus on… (Links, graphic, pictures, info table and static text:100 words)

3) The strategies of “pro-democracy” parties:

a) Report on the “pan-democracy” conference on 9th Nov: The speeches in the conference, interview some of the candidates for their view of 2007 DC Election. (Picture with action, audio and text: 200 words)
b) Interview with Lo Wing Lok who is in charge of the coordination within the parties (Picture with action, audio and text: 200 words)

Questions:

1. What are the strategies of “pro-democracy” parties in the DC election?
2. What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of “pro-democracy” parties?
3. How did each party in pro-democracy camp communicate, coordinate and cooperate with other parties?
4. Are their any conflict between different parties in the camp?
5. People may have a impression of “pro-democracy” parties which always act against the central government. What do you think about that? Will it affects voter’s choice?
6. What is the role and function of EC and why is it important for political parties?
7. How are the political view of “pro-democracy” parties implemented in a local sense?
8. Which one do you prefer, to promote economic prosperous or social equality, though they may not be mutually excluded. But what “pro-democracy” parties focus more?
9. Are this similar or different with “pro-China” parties?
10. Did Beijing give pressures to the DC?
11. HK government said it will give more resources and power to DC, what is your view?

c) Interview with some scholars in the social, public administration and politics theme. We will ask them on their view of the strategies used by the “pro-democracy” parties, the role and function of DC, why is it important for political parties to succeed in DC as a case in HK. (Picture with action, audio and text: 150 words)
Suggested interviewees:
1) Dr. YEUNG Sum (Assistant Professor in Department of Social Work and Social Administration of the University of Hong Kong)

2)Eliza W. Y. LEE (Associate Professor in Department of Politics and Public Administration of The University of Hong Kong)

4) Public opinions or critics on the “pro-democracy” parties in running for EC election. The prediction of the DC election result. The source of information of this part will be mainly come from news organization and bogs. (Text: 100)

II) Schedule

5 Nov 2007 Katherine is going to take photos and do audio recording related to our project
6 Nov 2007 Interview with Lo Wing Lok at 3:00pm in Sheung Wan
9 Nov 2007 Attend the “pan-democracy” conference at 8:00pm in Tsim Sha Tsui
13 Nov 2007 Project Deadline
To be confirmed Interview with a scholar

For our advancer article, as the idea is to give the reader background information on our topic of pro-democratic parties prior to the elections, we have decided to explain the contenders in this category and we will also focus on the cooperation/conflict between different pro-democratic parties.

What is highlighted?

1.In 2003 District Council Election, “pro-democracy” parties gained satisfactory result. It is believed that more people voted for candidates from “pro-democracy” parties as a result of 7-1 demonstration. 4 years have passed, people’s anger toward the government seems reduced due to the economy advancement of Hong Kong. It is the fact that he number of people participating in 7-1 demonstration is decreasing every year. Does it suggest that “pro-democracy” parties will have a less satisfactory result in this term of DC election? (However, we all know that the criteria of how people choose a candidate is not solely depend on their political view. How the candidate’s ability to serve the district, what their election strategy are also the key issues to “win”).

2.We will also refer to the issue of some voters being against parties that are actually anti-Beijing because of the view that Hong Kong may become destabilised and also that it is ‘unpatriotic’.

3. Among the parties, Democratic Party have the largest number of nominees. The two young political parties, Civic Party and League of Social Democrats have some conflicts for arranging their members. It shows that although the political views of “pan-democracy” party or “pro-democracy” parties are similar, there are also conflicts and self interests underneath. We can focus on the cooperation/conflict between different pro-democratic parties.

Event and interview:

1.The “pan-democracy” party will have a conference on 9th November near Hong Kong Cultural Center in Tsim Sha Tsui. We will see the candidates and their supporting crews there.

2. We intend to interview at least one of the well known contenders of a democratic party. We intend to contact Mr Kenneth Cheung Kam-hung who is running for the Yau Tsim Mong District - he is running for the League of Social Democrats alongside ‘Long Hair’, Leung Kwok-hung. We hope to take some pictures at a party rally if one is scheduled for this week and hopefully get an interview.

Photograph:

We will take the photograph of the conference and interview.

Types of media to use:

We will probably be using static text with links for more background information. We may do a table of list of similarities and differences between what the parties support. Once we have taken some photographs, we could do an active slide show of pictures of the main contenders for each party. With audio, if we can interview one of the popular contenders we could have a non-looping sound bite. I suppose that the article can have two-way communication in that the reader can post a comment on the site?

In any case we need to start getting organised in order to secure interviews and take photos and audio.

Additional information:

Hong Kong “pro-democracy” parties include Democratic Party, The Frontier, League of Social Democrats, April Fifth Action, Association for Democracy and People’s Livelihood and Civic Party. Their common goal is gaining universal suffrage for the Hong Kong Chief Executive election and Legislative Council election as soon as possible. Human right, equality and justice are their core values. Many individuals having the same political view and value have joined the “pro-democracy” camp, and they as a whole are being called “pan-democracy” party. As they are always seen as the opposite force against the central government, some people like to call them the “opposition parties”.

The “pan-democracy” party will have a conference on 9th November near Hong Kong Cultural Center in Tsim Sha Tsui. We will see the candidates and their supporting crews there. Among the parties, Democratic Party have the largest number of nominees. The two young political parties, Civic Party and League of Social Democrats have some conflicts for arranging their members. It shows that although the political views of “pan-democracy” party or “pro-democracy” parties are similar, there are also conflicts and self interests underneath.

Mr. Sin is a former football player of the famous football team in Hong Kong, Happy Valley Athletic Association. He has been the member of League of Social Democrats for about one year. He first served the district of Tuen Wan for several years. He was encouraged by friends in League of Social Democrats to participate in DC election in Tin Yiu constituency where he has started serving this district since one year ago.

Mr. Sin pointed out that social welfare is insufficient in Tin Shiu Wai. He urged the government to deliver more resources for the district, including building a hospital, more recreation places for teenagers.

It is Mr. Sin’s first time to run for a DC election. He thought his weakness which compared with his competitor, Mr, Leung Che Keung is that he has not yet established a very strong foundation in the district while his competitor has been the district councilor for a long time in Tin Yiu. He believed the only way to succeed in DC election is to serve the community with passion and courage.

 Interview with Mr. Sin

The election result is not difficult to predict that the two dominated parties are expected to succeed most of the seats. Among the seventeen candidates from DAB, 9 of them are the current district councilors while only 4 of them are fresh to the District Council Election. Although DAB is labeled as conservative party by their political tendency, its social services and knowledge in district level have helped them to stand strong in District Council Election. Under the great failure of DAB in 2003, it could still obtain 2 more seats in Tuen Mun District means that the party has already cumulate absolute votes in the district.

Although The Democratic Party does not allocate as much candidates as DAB, it is expected to have a higher percentage of successful candidates with reference to the previous election. There are 8 current Tuen Mun District Council. Therefore it is expected that half of the 29 elected seats will go to the two dominated parties. Besides, there will be 7 appointed members with 1 Ex-officio member in the Tuen Mun District Council. LAU Wong-fat will probably be the Ex-officio member who has been on the post for a period of time.

Although there are not much controversial issues in Tuen Mun District, there are still some local social, environmental and transportation issues that the candidates should think about. For examples, the housing development in Tuen Mun Area 18, heritage in Tuen Mun, the recommendation of the expansion of Tuen Mun cross boundary ferry service, the improvement of West Rail and Light Rail Services…ect.

More than 20 individuals from different places and with different ages came and joined the vigil. They sat silently holding candle at a corner of Lee tung Street.

Representative of the H15 Concern Group, the former shop owners and residents of Lee Tung Street successively stood out and shared their bad situation after leaving their original land. Some blamed the Urban Renewal Authority for using ‘dirty’ methods to force them out of the street, which was contradicted to what Billy Lam Chung-lun, the authority’s managing director, said in a radio programme in the morning that over 90 per cent of the owners had accepted offers for their property .

The iron frames have been already set up which symbolized the demolition project would start very soon.

Mrs Kam, the representative of the H15 Concern Group pointed out that if the government callback the project, the old buildings can still be preserved. It is the matter of the government’s decision.

The banners were written “”democratisation of urban planning”. This is the aim of the protesters. They want a more citizen-based consultation and planning for the future redevelopment projects.

為甚麼會是最激烈？首先，未來區議員通過互選，有望進身立法會，對於「大佬文化」盛行的政黨，二三梯隊的年輕精英，可循區議會渠道，爭取表現自己的從政能力，最終更上一層樓，無疑有極大激勵作用。

○五年的《政改五號報告書》，政府建議新增五席功能議席予區議員互選產生，《政制發展綠皮書》亦有類似的建議，作為循序漸進令立法會全部議席最終由普選產生的方案之一，可見政府高度重視區議會的政治地位。

事實上，區議會有一定民意基礎，大部分議員是一人一票選出，是某種形式的普選。政府近年多次利用區議會來反制桀驁不馴的立法會，十八個區議會的正副主席常為局長的座上客，是上佳的明證。

區議會成為兵家必爭之地，還因為這是培養政治人才的基地。議政、參政以至參與管理地區服務，區議會一應俱全。政府於四個區議會，包括灣仔、黃大仙、西貢及屯門，試驗下放權力，予區議會有限度的管理職權，圖書館服務與開放社區會堂等，區議會有「話事權」，這對年輕一代有志從政人士的吸引力不斷提升。 ]]> http://leileiarlei.uniblogs.org/2007/09/30/7/feed/ http://leileiarlei.uniblogs.org/2007/09/30/district-council-becomes-more-political/ http://leileiarlei.uniblogs.org/2007/09/30/district-council-becomes-more-political/#comments Mon, 01 Oct 2007 02:14:27 +0000 leileiarlei http://leileiarlei.uniblogs.org/2007/09/30/district-council-becomes-more-political/ District Council is always distinguished from Legislative Council as less political and more district-based. However, some voice suggests that District Council becomes more political.

Song Li Gong, a commentator of Oriental Daily believes that the coming District Council election will be the fiercer ever. He predicts that there will be about 50% voting rate compared with 44% last term. According to the Fifth Report of the Constitutional Development Task Force, the District Council members can elect the Legislative Council members among themselves in the future, Song believes that it will attract junior members of political parties to show off and pave their political road in Legislative Council. Political Parties use District Council as a site for training new political talents. 

Song sees the implication of the Government to increase the interference of social agendum through strengthen the control in District Council. There is about one fifth District Council members (102/534) are appointed by the government. It enlarge the power of District Council, including Wan Chi district, Wong Tai Sin district, Sai Kung district and Tuen Mun district by allowing them to allocate and mange the facilities, like town halls and libraries in districts. Moreover, Green Paper on Constitutional Development suggests increasing the number of seats representing District Councils in Legislative Council. It shows the government pays more attention to District Council.