Hong Kong newspaper Tin Tin Daily News has ceased publication after
40 years, but publisher Televerse International Limited simultaneously
announced that it will launch two titles in its place.
Chung Tin Daily and the Hong Kong Globe, both in Chinese, began
publishing on the first of this month.
Televerse took over Tin Tin Daily in June this year, with the intention
of shutting the title down and replacing it due to its "pornographic"
image.
According to Televerse president Benjamin Lau, the general perception of
Tin Tin as unsavoury was not something the company felt comfortable
with, and therefore planned an overhaul from the beginning.
He stressed that Tin Tin's replacements would be improved versions of
their predecessor, with Chung Tin Daily to focus on general news and
Hong Kong Globe focuses on educational and cultural issues.
Staff numbers have been increased by 40 per cent to handle the two new
papers, and employees have been given assurances that there are no
lay-offs planned.
Mr Lau, has been a university lecturer in the field of education and
culture in Hong Kong for many years, refused to comment on the projected
circulation of either title; however, the circulation of Tin Tin ranged
between 55,000 to 58,000.
Imagnet has been appointed to handle the promotion and marketing of both
Chung Tin and Hong Kong Globe.
Televerse was established and is wholly owned by Mr Lau and his business
partner, freelance journalist Mr Wu Kwok Heng.