FactWire
Kwun Tong, Kowloon Hong Kong | |
Website | www |
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FactWire (
As a non-profit public service news agency, it was established on 18 August 2015, and became operational on 1 March 2016. FactWire mainly focused on watchdog investigative reporting wired to a large number of Hong Kong's mainstream news outlets.[1] Factwire shut down in 2022.
History
The crowdfunding to establish Factwire surpassed the HK$3 million goal to reach HK$4.75 million.[2]
Train quality exposé
In July 2016, the agency published an exposé on the secret recall of
Singaporean transport minister
After publishing the reports Factwire received anonymous threats and reported an "unidentified individual" acting suspiciously outside their offices, despite the fact that the address of their newsroom had been kept secret.[2][8][9] The anonymous message stated "the subway train story has caused a big reaction, someone sent/ sending some trouble your way".[9] Factwire responded that "[our] investigation reports are not meant to target any particular party. We have a duty to the truth."[9] Hong Kong has seen violence against journalists in recent years, including the knife attack on Kevin Lau and various firebombings against Next Digital.
Taishan Nuclear Power Plant Defects Exposé
In December 2017, Factwire reported that they had uncovered cracks in important components of reactors in the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant, including a defective reactor vessel head that was set to remain in use for seven years.[10] The boiler had cracked during testing, and that welding on the component was termed "problematic". Factwire questioned why the nuclear power plant should be allowed to go online despite these defects and plausible danger to nearby neighborhoods.[11] On June 29, 2018, Taishan 1 proceeded to be connected to the grid and became the first EPR to enter commercial operation on December 13, 2018. CGN Power, the plant's major shareholder, did not respond to FactWire's enquiries.[12][13]
Closure
On 10 June 2022, Factwire abruptly ceased operations. It said on its website, "It is time for us to bid you farewell" and "Termination of Operations. Thank you for your support."[14]
The statement briefly referred to the changing media landscape, but did not specify the reasons for the site's closure.[15] Relevant reports pointed out that the news website was hacked a month before the shutdown, resulting in the data of 3,700 subscribers’ being exposed. FactWire was also accused of spreading fake news by the pro-Beijing group Politihk Social Strategic.[16][17]
Awards and recognition
SOPA Awards 2020
Award Type[18] | Category | Title of Entry |
---|---|---|
Excellence in Investigative Reporting
(卓越調查報道獎) |
Honorable Mentions | Did anyone really die in Prince Edward MTR
on Aug 31st? |
SOPA Award for Public Service Journalism
(亞洲出版業協會公共服務新聞大獎) |
Finalist | 追擊反修例風波的假資訊
Track the fake news in Anti-Extradition Bill Movement |
2020 Human Rights Press Awards
Award Type[19] | Title of Entry |
---|---|
Investigative Feature Writing Chinese Merit 調查專題 中文 優異奬 |
太子831 傷者數目1小時改4次 僅1人見過首名救護員 至少10人曾表不適未獲送院 |
See also
- Hong Kong Free Press – a crowdfunded English news website
References
- ^ "About". FactWire. 2015. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ a b Tan, Shaun (31 May 2016). "A new journalism startup in Hong Kong is betting the public will pay for unbiased news". Quartz.
- ^ a b c "China manufacturer for MTR secretly recalls 35 SMRT subway trains after cracks found". Factwire. 5 July 2016. Archived from the original on 8 July 2016.
- ^ a b "HK Government Tipped Off About Singapore Subway Trains Crackings A Year Ago, Emails Reveal". Factwire. 5 July 2016. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016.
- ^ a b c Koh, Valerie (12 July 2016). "Train cracks: Routine matter spun into controversy, says Khaw". Today.
- ^ Lim, Kenneth (12 July 2016). "Going public on train cracks could have caused undue panic: Khaw". Channel NewsAsia.
- ^ a b "An Open Letter to Singapore's Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan". Factwire News Agency. 13 July 2016.
- ^ Shan, Ho; Mudie, Luisetta (19 August 2016). "Hong Kong's FactWire Vows to Ignore 'Warning' After Train Safety Expose". Radio Free Asia.
- ^ a b c Yuen, Chantal (18 August 2016). "'FactWire will maintain its stand,' says newswire after receiving threat for subway train exposé". Hong Kong Free Press.
- ^ FactWire (2017-12-12). "Tests reveal crack in key component of Chinese nuclear power plant, 130km west of Hong Kong". Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. Retrieved 2020-01-03.
- ^ "Troubled Taishan nuclear plant secretly comes online despite defects – FactWire News Agency 傳真社". FactWire. 2018-06-18.
- ^ "The first of two EPR reactors at China's Taishan nuclear power plant enters into commercial operation". EDF France. 2018-12-14. Retrieved 2020-01-03.
- ^ "Taishan 1 enters commercial operation - Nuclear Engineering International". www.neimagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-01-03.
- ^ "Termination of Operation". FactWire News Agency. 2022-06-10. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
- ^ Frater, Patrick (2022-06-10). "Hong Kong's Factwire News Publication Closes With Immediate Effect". Variety. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
- ^ "香港傳真社宣布停止運作 未說明具體原因". Newtalk. Central News Agency. 2022-06-10. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
- ^ "香港政研會指控傳真社寫「太子831假新聞」,惟報導澄清網傳「死者」仍然生還". inmediahk.net. 2022-06-07. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
- ^ "Awards Finalists". The SOPA Awards. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
- ^ "第二十四屆人權新聞奬(2020)得奬名單".