Acknowledgements

This is a book that distils almost 30 years of experience in journalism in several countries, and everyone with whom I’ve worked in these countries needs a thank you. My media and academic friends in Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the US and Hong Kong will find some thoughts throughout this book which will certainly be familiar. For that, thank you. I hope I have given ideas back in return. For the three years leading up to the handover to China I was in Hong Kong. Inevitably, some of the flavour of that historic and disturbing time found its way into this book, particularly on matters concerning censorship and freedom of the press. Many thanks to my Hong Kong friends and colleagues from whom I learnt so much about the local situation, and about the way journalism is practised and taught there. To all my students, I would also like to give sincere thanks. The best way of learning is by teaching. They taught me a lot. I hope they have learnt at least a little from me in return. Since I was teaching the future journalists of Hong Kong, their worries became my worries. I will always remember their dedication, courage and enthusiasm for the cause of journalism; without them this book would not have been written. To Tim Hamlett, long-suffering and patient listener to my various thoughts as they tumbled forth, who ever patiently waited for the final edited version, many thanks. I am particularly grateful for his help with the print style guide, which owes much to him and his elegance of style. Thanks also to other Hong Kong colleagues, Dr Judith Clarke and Professor Chen Yu Hsi, who were always willing to listen and give of their experiences, and to Jenny Welham, Beth Howard and Margaret Denley of Focal Press, who shepherded the book through its various stages of publication so kindly and efficiently. But most of all, my greatest thanks go to my wife Margaret, who has been reader, critic and ideas-person throughout the whole writing process. This book would not have been written without her.

Finally, of course, although so many have wittingly or unwittingly helped my thought processes over the years, they provided only the good bits. The mistakes, as always, are mine alone.