Next Digital Limited (Chinese: 壹傳媒有限公司), previously known as Next Media Limited, was the largest listed media company in Hong Kong.
Founded by Jimmy Lai, it had 2,095 employees as of 30 Sep 2020. The media outlet had a user base of 5.0 million monthly unique visitors in Hong Kong, 12.3 million monthly unique visitors in Taiwan, 1.7 million in the US and 399,0002 in Canada up till 2019.[1]Apple Daily, the newspaper of the media group, was the most read newspaper in the city.[2] The company became defunct on 15 December 2021.
History
From 20 October 2015, the company has changed its English name to Next Digital Limited, from Next Media Limited.[3] Under a grim political climate, the news outlet's intrepid political activism infuriated the Beijing regime.[4] Some companies with ties to China had refrained from putting advertisements on any publication of the media group due to the heightened political pressure exerted on the business bodies in the city.[5][6]
Next Media's irreverent probe into sensitive social topics is what believed to be the reason of a triad-style vandalism targeted at the press offices,[7] followed by the forced shut-down in 2021.[8][9]
On 10 August 2020, Jimmy Lai, the founder of Next Digital, was arrested by the Hong Kong Police early morning that day for alleged collusion with foreign powers after a Beijing-led investigation. A post on Twitter from the media group's executive, Mark Simon, confirmed the arrest.[10] The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that "the arrest of media tycoon Jimmy Lai bears out the worst fears that Hong Kong's National Security Law would be used to suppress critical pro-democracy opinion and restrict press freedom". Steven Butler, CPJ's Asia program coordinator, commented, "Jimmy Lai should be released at once and any charges dropped."[11]
The Hong Kong Police made arrest of seven people aged 39 to 72 who have been accused of violating the new security law. The arrestees included Jimmy Lai (Founder of Next Digital Limited), Cheung Kim Hung (CEO of Next Digital Limited), Chow Tat Kuen, Royston (executive director and CFO of Next Digital Limited).[12]
Political position
The news media has often offered explicit, proactive support for pro-democracy groups in Hong Kong. The paper is regarded to hold libertarian views on financial and economic issues.
Awards and recognition
A slew of news articles authored by journalists from Next Media had received recognition through news awards such as Human Rights Press Awards, Investigative Feature Writing, Excellence in Reporting on Women's Issues, Hong Kong News Awards, Hong Kong Institute of Professional Photographers Awards, Excellence in Video Reporting, Spot News Photography Prizes, Chinese-Language Cartoon / Illustration Merit, Chinese-Language News Merits, etc.[13][circular reference] On the day of shutdown, queues of citizens snapped up the total 1 million copies of Apple Daily's last print,[14] marking a sensational end to the paper's decades of journalism and a symbol of Hong Kong's media pluralism.[15][16]
The Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai's Extraordinary Struggle for Freedom film
Apple Daily – Formerly one of Hong Kong's largest circulation newspapers, which was published daily between 1995 and 2021.[20]
Next Magazine – Published on Wednesday evenings, one of Hong Kong's largest circulation news and entertainment magazines between 1990 and 2021.
Easy Finder – A teen-focused entertainment magazine.
Monday Book – A set of four magazines sold together for HK$12 on Monday mornings that are more thematically male and commercially focused.
Face – Gossip, entertainment and fashion
Ketchup – Gadgets, gaming and mobile
JobFinder – Jobs and recruitment magazine (sales assistant-level jobs)
AutoExpress – Used cars, auto insurance, dating advertisements, car license plates for sale.
Trading Express – Classified ads for products, small companies, second-hand watches.
Friday Book – A set of three magazines sold together for HK$12 on Friday mornings that are more thematically female and leisure-focused. At the end of 2008, Next Media relinquished its holding in these three magazines, whose editorial management since early 2009 has been tied to TVB Weekly (the official magazine of Television Broadcasts Limited and owned by a joint venture between Malaysian media conglomerate companyAstro All Asia Networks plc (Astro) and Albert Yeung's Emperor Group).
Sudden Weekly – Women-oriented entertainment magazine. Sold to Astro in November 2006.
Me – A cosmetics and fashion magazine. Founded by Astro in December 2006.
Hong Kong publications
The Atnext.com network is the No. 1 online Chinese new, information and current events portal from Hong Kong and reaches more than 2 million users per month, audited by Neilsen//Netratings.[21]
Vertical/community portals
In addition to original exclusive content and social networking tools, these sites aggregate content from all other sites.
Lady – Female-focused portal with strong community
Travel – Travel site
Education – education guide for students of all levels
Motor – Car vertical covering auto reviews and more
Life – lifestyle guide on everyday city living
Racing – a subscription-based horse racing guide focused on HK and Macau races (HK$1,888 per year)
Soccer – soccer fans' guide to everything soccer
Health – a vertical channel on medical and health
Taiwan publications
Apple Daily – Published daily, one of Taiwan's highest-circulation newspapers
Next Magazine – Published on weekly, one of Taiwan's largest circulation news and entertainment magazines
Me (Taiwan version) – A weekly magazine
Corporate structure
The top management committee of the company is the Board. The Board is responsible for overseeing the successful of Next Media and devising the company's future strategy. The Board delegates the running of Next Media's day-to-day operations to carefully chosen executive directors and senior management. The Board looks to the management to ensure it is apprised of all significant developments that may affect the company and its operations.
There are four committees established by the Board, granted for different kinds of duties.
Executive Directors: for the purpose of approving issues and allotment of shares
Audit Committee: mainly to assist the Board in its oversight of the integrity of the company's financial statements; the company's compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; the external auditor's qualifications and independence; and the performance of the company's internal audit function and external auditors.
Remuneration Committee; to review and develop policies in relation to the remuneration of directors and senior management of the company; to make recommendations to the Board from time to time as may be necessary in relation to such policies.
Ad hoc Sub-committee; made up of the financial heads of all major operation subsidiaries.
Senior leadership
Note: Senior leadership only reflects the structure since the Group's listing in 1999; previously, it was a private company with no formal structure
Note: The position of Chief Executive was not used during the years 2002–2006, as the then-Executive Chairman Jimmy Lai took on CEO responsibilities from his post
