Hong Kong journalist group head says fired by WSJ in press freedom row

Hong Kong journalists work in a narrowing space after drastic political changes clamping down press freedom were introduced in the last few years.

The new chair of Hong Kong’s leading media professional group has said she lost her job at The Wall Street Journal after she refused her supervisor’s request to withdraw from the election for the leadership post.

Reporter Selina Cheng told a press briefing on Wednesday that a senior editor told her that her job was eliminated due to restructuring. But Cheng said she believed the real reason was linked to her supervisor’s request about three weeks ago to withdraw from the election for chair of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), a trade union for journalists also advocating for press freedom.

She said her supervisor also asked her to quit the association’s board, which she has served on since 2021. After she refused, she was told “it will be incompatible” with her job.

“I am appalled that the first press conference I’m giving as HKJA’s new chair is to announce that I was fired for taking up this position in a press union,” said Cheng, who was elected as the new chair in June.

Dow Jones, which publishes the newspaper, confirmed Wednesday it made “some personnel changes” but refused to comment on individuals.