Crime and Court Reporting: Journalistic Autonomy in Australia, Hong Kong and Mainland China – A Comparative Study

This thesis investigates the status of journalistic autonomy, specifically crime and court reporting, and the influence of other social fields on this autonomy in Australia, Hong Kong and mainland China. By examining newspaper coverage and interviewing 18 journalists from the three regions, the study finds and argues that, for crime and court reporting, in Australia the biggest challenge is increasing market pressure; in mainland China the autonomy of journalism is weak under the influence of the powerful political regime; and in Hong Kong, crime and court reporting has been affected by the growing conflicts within the political arena.