【新唐人2015年02月05日訊】香港《明報》總編輯鍾天祥撤換「六四密件」頭條事件持續發酵，3號傍晚，近百名員工舉行「擱筆1小時行動」以示抗議。3號深夜，鍾天祥發表聲明，強調總編輯有權力及責任調動版面。不過，有分析指出，鍾天祥的背後恐怕有黑手在操縱，香港的新聞自由危在旦夕。

《明報》職工協會2號發出聲明，指《明報》2號頭條原定為「加國密件記錄學生目擊六四開槍」，但總編輯鍾天祥1號深夜近11點，突然推翻編輯部高層的集體決定，並不顧多名編輯部同事的力爭，堅持把頭條改為「 阿里巴巴10億助港青創業」，令人憤怒。

3號傍晚，80多名《明報》員工在報社外面舉行「擱筆1小時行動」，員工將有關六四解密文件報導的《明報》版面，張貼在報社大樓的外牆，隨後手持抗議鍾天祥字眼的紙牌，並舉起手上的筆1分鐘，再逐一將筆放在地上。

《明報》職工協會發言人冼韻姬宣讀聲明時表示，事件發展至今，《明報》員工不能再沉默，一個人的力量可能很小，但只要大家團結一致，相信有能力阻止類似的事情再次發生。她希望鍾天祥儘快出來面對員工，解釋更改頭條報導的原因。

3號深夜，鍾天祥在明報即時新聞網發表聲明，指總編輯有權力及責任調動版面，他還說，將「六四密件」撤換成「阿里巴巴」作頭條，是按新聞邏輯，決定行使權力。

香港《開放》雜誌執行編輯蔡詠梅：「他是有這個權力，但是如果你是扭曲這個新聞性，一個很重大的新聞把它壓下去，換一個，這個就是有偏向的。你看現在的鳳凰衛視，香港這邊重大的新聞事件都不報導或者輕描淡寫，這個就完全是有偏向性，這個就是背後有人打壓新聞自由。」

《明報》職工協會理事覃純健向《自由亞洲電臺》表示，職工協會對鍾天祥改變編輯部的集體決定極度不滿，認為事件破壞雙方互信，以及報社一直以來的編採制度，對日後的編採自主感到憂慮。

蔡詠梅：「香港的新聞自由被大陸那邊滲透的很厲害，但另一方面，香港的新聞工作者也抵抗的很厲害。這種情況，我覺得會一直持續下去，兩邊都是不會退讓的。當然，對於不能接受共產黨控制的那些媒體老闆，中共就採取一種間接的打壓方式，就像蘋果日報老闆因為支持佔中可能被檢控。」

對於鍾天祥撤換頭條報導，香港記者協會、香港支聯會都給予強烈譴責。支聯會認為鍾天祥的做法，不但破壞新聞和編採自由，更令人懷疑他想藉更改頭條淡化「六四」真相，背後可能有「黑手」在操縱。

支聯會副主席蔡耀昌：「這個頭條出來前一天下午，明報編輯高層開會的時候，集體決定把六四事件作為頭條，那個時候總編輯鍾天祥也在，也沒有意見，所以可以有理由的估計，他在編輯部開會之後出了甚麼問題，是不是有外來的人給他一些意見，讓他最後不顧編輯部的集體決定，自己就去改變這個頭條。」

蔡詠梅：「我覺得他是背後有人給他撐腰的，他背後是有人主使他這樣做。當然這個跟老闆也有關係，因為現在老闆是跟大陸有生意關係的，我肯定相信是有獲得中聯辦這邊發功，在後面操縱之類的，因為明報的佔中立場偏向香港的主流民意。」

有媒體披露，鍾天祥歷任新加坡官方《聯合早報》國際新聞主管與馬來西亞《南洋商報》總編輯，與《明報》東主、馬來西亞企業家丹斯里張曉卿關係密切。

曾擔任記者的公民黨立法會議員毛孟靜透過聲明指出，這次鐘天祥突然撤換頭條，與《明報》原總編輯劉進圖被換職，甚至被砍事件，顯示香港新聞機構已被「大陸化」，傳媒自我審查情況日漸嚴重，新聞自由危在旦夕。

採訪陳漢 編輯/陳潔 後製/周天

Ming Pao Employees Strike Against New Editor-in-Chief’s

Removing Report of Tiananmen Massacre From Headline.

Chong Tien-siong, Hong Kong Ming Pao’s new editor in chief,

issued an order to remove an article uncovering inside stories

of the Tiananmen Square Massacre from it’s front page.

The incident continues as nearly a hundred Ming Pao staff

went on a one-hour strike against Chong’s decision on Feb.3.

Chong announced late that night, that as editor-in-chief he

has both authority and responsibility to make article changes.

However, analysts said there are likely backstage bosses

behind Chong’s move.

They are putting Hong Kong’s freedom of the press in danger.

Ming Pao’s staff association announced on Feb.2 that, the

newspaper should have published a front page article titled

“Canada’s Secret Documents Record Student Witnesses of

Firing during June Fourth Crackdown” for that days’ edition.

However, the new chief-in-editor Chong Tien-siong abruptly

decided to replace the front page story with another one

titled “Alibaba Donates 1 Billion HKD to Support Hong Kong

Young People Setting up Their Own Businesses".

In making the decision, Chong ignored opposing views from

the entire editorial staff, who were consequently upset.

On the evening of Feb. 3, over 80 Ming Pao employees held

a one-hour strike in front of the newspaper office.

Employees put up newspaper pages with the June Fourth

article on the wall of the Ming Pao building.

They held slogans protesting about Chong Tien-siong, and

lifted and laid pens on the ground symbolising “stop writing".

Ming Pao staff association spokesperson Xian Yunji loudly

read out a statement.

The statement said that Ming Pao staff can no longer keep

silent as this happens;

Although one person has very limited strength, if everyone

unites they can stop things like this from happening again.

Ms. Xian hoped Chong would respond to Ming Pao staff

quickly about why he made the title change.

Late on Feb. 3, Chong Tien-siong made an announcement on

Ming Pao’s express news website.

Chong stated that he had authority and responsibility to

make article changes. Chong further commented that,

replacing the June Fourth article with the Alibaba report

is to execute his power following the logic of reportage.

Tsai Yung-mei, executive editor of Hong Kong Open

Magazine, “It is true that he has that authority.

However, if what you did is to replace a headline report with

a less important one, then there is bias behind the move.

For example, Phoenix Television ignored or played down

many big incidents in Hong Kong.

So this is complete bias, as someone is hiding behind the

scenes to suppress freedom of the press."

Board member of the Ming Pao staff association Qin

Chunjian told Radio Free Asia that, the association is

extremely disappointed at Chong’s ignorance of the

entire editorial staff decision.

Qin said, the incident destroys mutual trust as well as

the newspaper’s long-term editorial system.

It causes concern from staff over their future work style.

Tsai Yung-mei, “Hong Kong is seriously infiltrated by the

mainland’s Communist Regime in its freedom of the press.

On the other hand, Hong Kong media workers never stop

their resistance.

I think the situation will not change as both sides have no

intention to compromise.

Of course, for those bosses out of the party’s control, the

Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will use indirect ways to

suppress them. For example, the owner of Apply Daily was

sued for publicly supporting the Occupy Central movement."

The Hong Kong Journalists Association and Hong Kong

Alliance both condemned Chong’s headline change decision.

The Alliance questioned if Chong intended to dodge talking

about the truth of the June Fourth Incident by the move;

Were there backstage bosses involved in the incident?

Tsoi Yiu-Cheong, vice chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance,

“The previous afternoon, Ming Pao’s editorial meeting made

the collective decision to put the June fourth article onto the

headline. Chong attended the meeting but said nothing.

So it is reasonable to speculate that something

happened after the meeting.

Maybe some outsiders gave Chong some orders forcing him

to make the title change despite all other editors’ opinions."

Tsoi Yiu-Cheong, “I have a feeling that someone is supporting

Chong behind the scenes. There should be backstage bosses.

The owner of newspaper is also relevant, as Ming Pao’s

current owner has business connections with mainland China.

I definitely believe the Liaison Office has played a role in the

incident because Ming Pao’s standpoint on Occupy Central

was closer to the Hong Kong public than the CCP."

Media reports revealed that Chong Tien-siong used to be

the foreign editor of Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao and editor

in chief of Malaysia’s Nanyang Business Daily.

Chong reportedly has close ties with Ming Pao’s board

chairman Tiong Hiew King, a Malaysian Chinese entrepreneur.

Claudia Mo, once a journalist and Hong Kong Legislative

Council member from the Civil Party, commented on this.

Mo said, Chong’s abrupt headline change is a key signal that

Hong Kong news media is controlled by the CCP.

It follows the dismissal and assault of former Ming Pao

editor in chief Kevin Lau.

Self-censorship of Hong Kong media is more often seen and

Hong Kong’s press freedom is in great danger now, said Mo.

Interview/ChenHan Edit/ChenJie Post-Production/ZhouTian