Jack Ma’s SCMP Joins Hong Kong Media Groups Facing China Control
- China pressures Alibaba to sell SCMP and other media assets
- SCMP vows to continue tradition of ‘independent’ journalism
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As news broke that China is pressuring Jack Ma’s Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. to sell the South China Morning Post, surprised employees pondered the future of Hong Kong’s main English-language daily.
When Hangzhou-based Alibaba bought the SCMP in 2015 for $266 million, it injected much-needed cash into the operations and pledged that the century-old newspaper would retain editorial independence. While the newspaper has come under steady criticism for a tilt toward Beijing under Alibaba, its journalists closely covered the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong while also publishing diverse opinions and coverage critical of China.