Latest news with #ChannelC
HKFP
23-07-2025
- Business
- HKFP
New Hong Kong media outlet takes over social media accounts of defunct news platform Channel C
A new Hong Kong media outlet has taken over the social media accounts of defunct news platform Channel C, which halted operations in April following the arrest of its parent company's director over alleged fraud. Channel C's Instagram and YouTube accounts – which had over 400,000 followers and 725,000 subscribers, respectively – were renamed Tagline HK on Tuesday. Previous content produced by Channel C on the two platforms was mostly deleted, while Tagline HK published a video on Instagram and YouTube announcing its establishment. According to the video, Tagline HK is a brand-new media outlet that focuses on breaking news and talking points in the city, among other topics. Tagline HK did not immediately respond to HKFP's enquiry on Tuesday. Channel C halted operations in late April, a week after police arrested a director of its parent company, Artview Media Production, for allegedly defrauding a government loan programme for HK$20 million in total. As of late April, the media company's 29 editorial staff were owed HK$660,000 in salary, pension contributions, and other miscellaneous expenses for the past half year, according to a source familiar with the matter. The Mandatory Provident Fund Scheme Authority said at that time that the outlet was behind on pension contributions totalling HK$230,000, which covered the period from October to March, affecting 18 employees. Channel C, which was founded in July 2021 by a small group of former employees of the now-shuttered Apple Daily, said in May that its bank account was frozen and the company was under the control of creditors. Ronson Chan, a former Channel C employee, told HKFP on Tuesday that Tagline HK had taken over Channel C's social media accounts, including the WhatsApp hotline it formerly used to receive news tip-offs. Chan said he did not know about the team behind Tagline HK, who he said might have been recruited by Channel C's creditors. 'It's OK to find a new team [to run the media company], but they quite simply inherited all existing Channel C followers,' Chan said in Cantonese. Chan and a group of other former Channel C staff members earlier this month. Channel We said in a statement that the company was supported by an unnamed 'white knight.'
HKFP
11-07-2025
- Business
- HKFP
Former staff of Hong Kong news outlet Channel C launch new media platform with support of ‘white knight'
A group of former staff from Hong Kong independent media outlet Channel C has launched a new online news platform with the financial support of a 'white knight.' Ronson Chan, a former reporter at Channel C, told HKFP on Thursday that he and some former colleagues had set up a new media outlet called Channel We. The new media outlet published its first story on Facebook, Instagram and Threads on Thursday morning, reporting that Chung Pui-kuen, former chief editor of the defunct outlet Stand News, was released from prison after serving one year and nine months for a sedition conviction. Channel C staff stopped working after the company failed to pay its employees from April 23, Channel We said in a statement. 'After our persistent efforts for over two months, we have finally found a 'white knight' to support us, and therefore we will continue to report on Channel We,' the new news outlet added. Channel We 'produces content that 'we' should care about and delivers information about 'we' Hongkongers,' according to its description on Facebook. Chan, former chair of the Hong Kong Journalists Association and former Stand News journalist, shared a Channel We post on his Facebook page on Thursday. 'We will continue to report news, do live-streaming, and report news about Hongkongers,' Chan wrote in Chinese. Channel C halted operations Channel C was founded by a small group of former Apple Daily employees in July 2021 following the closure of the Hong Kong pro-democracy newspaper. However, Channel C halted operations in April this year after at least one director at its parent company was arrested for allegedly defrauding a government loan programme. The defunct media outlet owes 29 editorial staff members HK$660,000 in salaries, pension contributions, and other miscellaneous expenses, a source familiar with the matter told HKFP.
HKFP
07-05-2025
- Business
- HKFP
Hong Kong media outlet Channel C says bank account frozen, offers refund process for patrons
Local media outlet Channel C has announced that it cannot access its bank account and has offered a refund process for its paid members. 'As our company's bank account has been frozen, we are now trying to communicate with the police and hoping the account will be unblocked,' the independent media outlet said in a statement issued on Facebook on Tuesday evening. 'However, because it takes time, we cannot maintain our daily operation in the short term.' Channel C halted its operations late last month, a week after police arrested at least one director of the outlet's parent company over alleged fraud. Creditors have taken over its company, and therefore, it needs their approval before conducting any transactions, Channel C also said on Facebook. It also told paid members to email a refund request if they wish to. 'We will communicate with creditors and reply to your application once we obtain approval.' It suggested that patrons consider whether to renew their membership. One director of Artview Media Production – Channel C's parent company – was among six people arrested by police in mid-April for allegedly defrauding a government loan programme of HK$20 million in total. The fraud was linked to applications for the Special 100% Loan Guarantee, a scheme launched by the government in early 2020 to help companies amid the Covid-19 pandemic. In late April, a source familiar with the matter told HKFP that Channel C's 29 editorial staff were owed HK$660,000 in salary, pension contributions, and other miscellaneous expenses, while most of the editorial staff were owed Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) contributions for the past half year. The Mandatory Provident Fund Scheme Authority said that the outlet was behind on pension contributions totalling HK$230,000, which covered the period from October last year to March this year, affecting 18 employees. Channel C was founded by a small group of former Apple Daily employees in July 2021 following the closure of the Hong Kong pro-democracy newspaper. said in June 2023 that it was struggling to make ends meet.
HKFP
28-04-2025
- Business
- HKFP
Independent Hong Kong media outlet Channel C halts operations after arrest, owes HK$230k in pension contributions
Independent media outlet Channel C has halted operations a week after police arrested a director at the outlet's parent company for alleged government loan fraud. Meanwhile, authorities say the outlet is behind on pension contributions totalling HK$230,000. In a response to local media enquiries on Saturday, the Mandatory Provident Fund Scheme Authority said that the HK$230,000 covered the period from last October until this March, and affected 18 employees. Since November, the authority has been filing civil claims and petitions to the Small Claims Tribunal, and taking enforcement action to recover the pension arrears. Separately, a source familiar with the matter told HKFP that some 29 editorial staff are owed HK$660,000 in salary, pension contributions, and other miscellaneous expenses, as of Wednesday. Most of the editorial staff are owed Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) contributions for the past half year, the source said. Gov't loan fraud The authority's response came a week after Hong Kong police announced the arrest of six people, including one director of Channel C's parent company, Artview Media Production, for allegedly defrauding a government loan programme of HK$20 million. Channel C said in June 2023 that it was struggling to make ends meet. Local media outlets reported in October that it had failed to pay its staff. Channel C was founded by a small group of former Apple Daily employees in July 2021 following the closure of the Hong Kong pro-democracy newspaper. The paper ceased operations after authorities froze its assets following the arrest of five top executives, including its founder, media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who is currently on trial for national security offences. Though often reporting on daily news, Channel C is known for taking after Apple Daily with a sensationalist, tabloid-esque style. Its tagline reads: 'Channel C stands for City, Crime, Culture.' The Channel C source also said that the 29 editorial staff decided to halt operations following a meeting last Tuesday, after finding a potential investor's offer unsatisfactory. The investor planned to lay off staff, operating with a smaller team, and was only willing to invest about HK$100,000 per month, which would not cover monthly manpower-related expenses of around HK$470,000. Channel C's website has not been updated since Tuesday. In response to enquiries as to whether Channel C had filed requests for assistance, the Labour Department only said that employers were required to pay salaries within the seven days after wages are due. The department also said it attached great importance to cases involving employers defaulting on MPF contributions, and called on employees to contact the authorities if there were such suspected cases.
