"Hong Kong Business Journalism History Database" Launched to Preserve Local Business News Heritage

HONG KONG, April 9, 2026 – Hong Kong has a rich tradition of business journalism. The Hong Kong Ship Price Newspaper, first published in 1857, is widely regarded as the earliest Chinese-language business newspaper in China, marking a milestone in the history of Chinese journalism. Yet, compared with broader developments in the news industry, scholarly research and archival work on Hong Kong's business journalism have remained relatively underdeveloped. Over the past 160 years, many newspapers have ceased publication, and surviving early materials often suffer from missing pages, physical deterioration, and fragmentation—challenges that have long impeded academic study.

To address this gap and rescue historical newspaper materials that are increasingly scattered and at risk of loss, the Hong Kong Business Journalism History Database (HKBJHD) has been officially launched and opened to the public at http://www.hkbizhist.com/. The project is led by Dr. Song Zhaoxun and his team at the School of Communication at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, with funding support from the University Grants Committee (UGC) of the Hong Kong SAR Government.

The database systematically collects and curates business news content from defunct Chinese-language newspapers in Hong Kong. It offers a range of thematic sections, including Media Historical Materials, Newspaper Clippings Collection, Famous Journalists, Research Literature, Teaching and Research Resources, and Historical Materials Solicitation. Together, these resources form a comprehensive online platform supporting academic research, teaching, and public education for scholars, students, and the wider community.

The initiative is driven by a senior, cross-institutional, and interdisciplinary research team. The principal investigator, Dr. Song Zhaoxun, is Programme Director of the MA in Strategic Communication at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong. Co-investigators include Professor Wong Chung Ming of the Department of Journalism and Communication at Hong Kong Shue Yan University; Professor Chiu Ying Chun, Dr. Wu Jing and Dr. Chan Oi Yan, at the School of Communication, The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong. The team brings together expertise in historical research, journalism practice, and communication studies, ensuring robust academic and professional support for the project.

According to the project team, the database is intended not only as a digital archive but also as a public knowledge platform that preserves the city's collective memory while connecting its past with the present. Looking ahead, the team plans to expand the database's scope and continue advancing the preservation and study of Hong Kong's business journalism heritage.

Messages from Research Team Members

Principal Investigator: Prof. Song Zhaoxun

"This database is a historical gift to Hong Kong. I thank our team and the UGC for preserving invaluable materials from disappearing newspapers."

Co-Investigator: Prof. Chiu Ying Chun

"This website is more valuable than a few papers in the academic ivory tower. It is a public historical archive—a true legacy."

Student Assistant: Du Xinran

"I am honored to have helped organize Hong Kong's media archives, an invaluable experience that showed me each news item is a slice of its time."