The Standard (traditional Chinese: 英文虎報 Pinyin:Yīngwén Hǔbào) is an English free newspaper of Hong Kong. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Free daily newspapers trace their history back to the 1940s when Walnut Creek California publisher Dean Lesher began what is widely believed to be the first Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders It was called the Hong Kong Standard and changed to HKiMail during the Internet boom, but it changed back to The Standard in 2001.

From 10 September 2007, The Standard, which was originally sold at HK$6 each, became a free newspaper. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Free daily newspapers trace their history back to the 1940s when Walnut Creek California publisher Dean Lesher began what is widely believed to be the first It is now Hong Kong's first and only free English newspaper, which has seen the editorial direction shift towards a more controversial "tabloid" style of coverage, whilst also shifting to a more pro Government, pro-cartel, nationalistic position.

The South China Morning Post and the International Herald Tribune are its main local competitors. The South China Morning Post, together with its Sunday edition the Sunday Morning Post, is an English-language Newspaper of Hong The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international Newspaper

Format

The Standard is printed in tabloid-format rather than in broadsheet, unlike other English-language newspapers in Hong Kong. A tabloid is a Newspaper industry term which refers to a smaller newspaper format per spread to a weekly or semi-weekly alternative newspaper that focuses on local-interest Broadsheet is the largest of the various Newspaper formats and is characterized by long vertical pages (typically 22 inches or more It is published daily from Monday to Saturday.

Weekend Standard was published during weekends before The Standard became a free newspaper. The issue, which covers both Saturdays and Sundays, comes out on Saturday. Certain sections, namely the Market, Entertainment, Focus and Opinion sections, are not published in Weekend Standard.

Ownership

The Standard is published by Sing Tao Newspaper Limited, which is also the publisher of Sing Tao Daily and Headline Daily. The Sing Tao Daily ( is Hong Kong 's second largest Chinese language Newspaper. Headline Daily ( was launched on July 12, 2005 by Sing Tao Newspaper Group Limited and became the second free Chinese Newspaper published This enterprise is owned by Sing Tao News Corporation Limited, a firm owning other businesses including media publications, human capital management and Broadband service. Sing Tao News Corporation Limited ( is a Hong Kong listed company Human capital refers to the stock of skills and knowledge embodied in the ability to perform labor so as to produce Economic value. The term broadband can have different meanings in different contexts The Global China Group Holdings acquired 51% of Sing Tao Holdings Ltd. in January 2001 and changed its name in 2005. The Chairman of Sing Tao News Corporation Limited is Ho Tsu Kwok, Charles (何柱國).

History

The Standard was originally named the Hong Kong Tiger Standard. The newspaper was founded by Tycoon Aw Boon Haw after the end of the Chinese Civil War. Aw Boon Haw ( 1882 Rangoon, Burma – 1954 Hong Kong) was a Burmese Chinese entrepreneur and philanthropist best known for introducing On the backs of financially successful Sing Tao Daily and Tiger Balm, he attacked the English-language newspaper market by launching the paper on 1 March 1949 to give a Chinese voice to the world, and to advance the interests of Chinese in all their endeavours and defend them against all kinds inequalities, challenging the pro-colonial establishment press. The Sing Tao Daily ( is Hong Kong 's second largest Chinese language Newspaper. Tiger Balm ( is the trade name for a Heat rub manufactured and distributed by Haw Par Healthcare in Singapore. ^[1] It started life as a broadsheet, largely be edited and run by Chinese, but without the exclusion of other nationals. ^[1] Politically, it shared the Sing Tao's and Aw's allegiance to the Kuomingtang. ^[1]

These early editors were all thoroughly US educated and trained, the first being L. Z. Yuan (father-in-law of Golden Harvest founder, Raymond Chow). Golden Harvest ( is a Film production distribution and exhibition Company based in Hong Kong. There followed C. S. Kwei, a leading Chinese lawyer and bilingual intellectual-author, and Kyatang Woo, an alumnus of Missouri University. The University of Missouri (also known as the University of Missouri–Columbia, Mizzou, or MU) is a public land-grant and research ^[1]

During the 1990s, when Sally, Aw Sian (adopted daughter of Aw Boon Haw) chaired Sing Tao News Corporation Limited, The Standard was the only English newspaper in Hong Kong that was allowed to be circulated in China. Sing Tao News Corporation Limited ( is a Hong Kong listed company

In 27 May 2000, facing challenges from its biggest competitor the South China Morning Post, the Hong Kong Standard was renamed as Hong Kong iMail (香港郵報) and was reduced to tabloid-size in order to attract more young Chinese readers. Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. The South China Morning Post, together with its Sunday edition the Sunday Morning Post, is an English-language Newspaper of Hong In 30 May 2002, following the explosion of the Internet Bubble, iMail was once again renamed as The Standard. Events 1416 - The Council of Constance, called by the Emperor Sigismund a supporter of Antipope John XXIII burns Jerome of Prague following See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar.

The Editor-in-Chief is Ivan Tong, who replaced Mark Clifford. Editing Language, Images or Sound through correction condensation organization and other modifications in various media Mark L Clifford was the Editor-in-Chief of The Standard Newspaper in Hong Kong from January 2004 to February 2006 and the Editor-in-Chief

On 3 September 2007, it was reported that The Standard was set to re-align itself as a free newspaper to be distributed in commercial districts like Central and Admiralty. Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Central (also Central District; Cantonese Choong Wan or Chung Wan) the Central business district of Hong Kong was commonly known as part of Admiralty is the eastern extension of Central business district of the Central on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. ^[2]

Circulation fraud

In August 1996, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in Hong Kong found out that 14,000 copies of the paper had been discarded in Wan Chai pier and therefore started an investigation. The Independent Commission Against Corruption ( ICAC;; and zh-t 總督特派廉政專員公署 before 1997 of Hong Kong was established by Governor The Wan Chai Pier (, often called "Wan Chai Ferry" is a pier at the coast of Wan Chai North on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. The ICAC discovered that from 1994 to 1997, the circulation figures of the Hong Kong Sunday Standard and the Hong Kong Standard had been routinely and substantially exaggerated, in order to attract advertisers and to raise the revenue of the newspapers.

As a result, the ICAC arrested three staff members of the Hong Kong Standard and charged Aw Sian as co-conspirator. This case was examined and deliberated from 23rd November 1998 to 20th January 1999. Finally, the three staff members were found guilty, and sentenced to jail for 4 to 6 months. Aw Sian was not prosecuted. The decision generated a large controversy among the public, and raised the question of legal discrimination and injustice environment in arbitration. ^[3]

Nevertheless, the Secretary of Justice, Ms Elsie Leung justified her decided not to prosecute Aw Sian on the basis of insufficient evidence and public interest. Elsie Leung Oi Sie GBM JP ( born 1939 in Hong Kong with family root in Nanhai, Guangdong) was the Secretary The public interest refers to the "common well-being" or "general welfare ^[4]

Other information

• The cover price of The Standard was HK$6, but it is now free.
• Its former slogan was TELLS IT LIKE IT IS.
• The reformated freesheet version of the The Standard carries the slogan "First Past the Post".

Footnotes

References

• Newspaper Society of Hong Kong, The(2004), 50 Years of Hong Kong Newspaper(香港報業50載印記). Hong Kong: Ming Pao Newspapers Limited.
• Sing Tao News Corporation Annual Report 2004

External links

• The Standard website