New head of Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondents' Club Morgan Davis vows to hold the line
The new head of Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC) has told HKFP the press club will 'stay the course' under her tenure by supporting journalists and seeking dialogue with governments.
Morgan Davis, the Asia Bonds Editor at the UK-headquartered International Financing Review, stood as the sole candidate for president last month, replacing Lee Williamson of the South China Morning Post as chief following elections last month.
'We will continue the same process for issuing press freedom statements and I do not anticipate any changes to our approach this year,' she told HKFP on Thursday over email. 'I believe these are an important tool for us at the club to signal our support for journalists in the region, and we, of course, welcome an open dialogue with governments and regional leaders on these events and topics.'
A Hong Kong resident of nine years, Davis was born in Illinois, US and studied journalism in New York. She served as an FCC board member for three years ahead of taking the helm, and also teaches international journalism to master's students at Hong Kong Baptist University.
Meanwhile, Williamson posted a farewell messages across social media on Wednesday, saying that he was 'deeply grateful to every single member of both boards over the last two years for their support and counsel, which have been invaluable.'
He said that the club had issued 21 press freedom statements over the past two years, with 14 relating to Hong Kong. The FCC Journalism Conference and Charity Committee returned under his leadership, whilst correspondent and journalist membership rose by 6.5 per cent since last year, he added.
Gov't lease
The club leases a venue from the government at the Old Dairy Farm Depot on Lower Albert Road in Central. After being renewed in 2022 for three years, with new national security clauses added, the agreement is set to expire at the end of this year.
Davis told HKFP she was focused on ensuring the lease was renewed: 'I am confident the club has demonstrated its commitment to keeping its home as we invested HK$5.9m to maintain our heritage building. We have proven ourselves to be an integral part of the Hong Kong community through our charity work, our professional programs for journalists, and our club events, which support an open dialogue on relevant issues. '
In 2018, former Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying suggested that the lease could be cancelled after the club hosted a talk by a pro-independence activist.
Press freedom concerns
Hong Kong has plummeted in international press freedom indices since the onset of the 2020 and 2024 security laws. Watchdogs cite the arrest and jailing of journalists, raids on newsrooms and the closure of around 10 media outlets including Apple Daily, Stand News and Citizen News. Over 1,000 journalists have lost their jobs, whilst many have emigrated. Meanwhile, the city's government-funded broadcaster RTHK has adopted new editorial guidelines, purged its archives and axed news and satirical shows.
In 2022, Chief Executive John Lee said press freedom was 'in the pocket' of Hongkongers but 'nobody is above the law.' Although he has told the press to ' tell a good Hong Kong story,' government departments have been reluctant to respond to story pitches.
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