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Next Digital

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Next Digital Limited
Company typePublic company
IndustryMedia
PredecessorNext Media Limited
Founded1999; 27 years ago (1999)
FounderJimmy Lai
DefunctDecember 15, 2021 (2021-12-15)
FateCeased operations
Headquarters
Hong Kong
,
Hong Kong
Area served
Hong Kong, Taiwan, United States, Canada
Key people
Jimmy Lai (Founder and former chairman), Cheung Kim Hung (CEO)
ProductsApple Daily, Next Magazine, Easy Finder, Monday Book, Friday Book, Atnext.com, Sharp Daily, Me (Taiwan), among others
Number of employees
2,095 (2020)
Websitewww.nextdigital.com.hk

Next Digital Limited (), previously known as Next Media Limited, was recognized as the largest publicly traded media enterprise in Hong Kong.

Established by Jimmy Lai, the company had a workforce of 2,095 employees as of September 2020. Its premier publication, Apple Daily, held the position of the most widely circulated newspaper in the city, attracting a monthly audience of 5 million readers in Hong Kong, 12.3 million in Taiwan, 1.7 million across the United States, and close to 400,000 in Canada as reported in 2019. The organization officially halted its operations on 15 December 2021.

History

The entity underwent a rebranding on 20 October 2015, changing its name from Next Media Limited to Next Digital Limited.[1] Its forthright political commentary generated friction with Beijing authorities, leading several companies connected to China to pull their advertisements amid increasing political pressures.

The company’s investigative journalism on politically sensitive matters triggered assaults on its premises and played a role in its eventual shutdown in 2021.[2]

Police Raid

On 10 August 2020, Jimmy Lai, the founder of Next Digital, was detained by the Hong Kong Police on allegations of colluding with foreign entities following an investigation initiated by Beijing. Mark Simon, a senior executive at Next Digital, announced the arrest on Twitter. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the action as an attempt to silence pro-democracy advocates and curtail freedom of the press. Alongside Lai, six additional individuals were apprehended, including Cheung Kim Hung (CEO) and Royston Chow Tat Kuen (executive director and CFO), all facing accusations under the newly implemented National Security Law.

Political stance

Next Digital’s media properties have consistently aligned themselves with pro-democracy movements within Hong Kong and are noted for their libertarian perspectives regarding financial and economic policies.

Honors and accolades

Reporters affiliated with Next Media have been recipients of numerous awards such as the Human Rights Press Awards, distinctions for Investigative Feature Writing, and honors recognizing excellence in video journalism and photography. On the day it ceased publication, all one million copies of Apple Daily’s final edition were purchased by readers, marking a poignant episode in Hong Kong’s media history that underscored the erosion of media diversity in the region.

Documentary: The Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai's Extraordinary Struggle for Freedom

Next Digital was prominently featured in The Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai's Extraordinary Struggle for Freedom, a documentary produced by the American think tank Acton Institute. The film garnered widespread critical acclaim for spotlighting Jimmy Lai’s influence and the company’s significance within Hong Kong’s media environment.

Publications based in Hong Kong

  • Apple Daily – Previously among Hong Kong’s highest-circulation daily newspapers from 1995 until its closure in 2021.
  • Next Magazine – A prominent news and entertainment periodical issued every Wednesday evening from 1990 through 2021.
  • Easy Finder – An entertainment magazine targeted at teenage readers.

Monday Book – A collection of four magazines sold together for HK$12 on Monday mornings aimed at male readers and commercial interests:

  • Face – Covering gossip, entertainment news, and fashion trends
  • Ketchup – Focused on gadgets, gaming culture, and mobile technology
  • JobFinder – A recruitment publication concentrating on sales assistant-level positions
  • AutoExpress – Featuring used car listings, auto insurance information, dating advertisements, and car license plate sales
  • Trading Express – Classified advertisements including products for sale, small business promotions, and second-hand watches

Friday Book – A set comprising three magazines oriented towards female audiences and leisure activities sold for HK$12 on Friday mornings. By late 2008, Next Media divested these titles; since 2009 their editorial management has been associated with TVB Weekly, which is owned through a joint venture between Malaysian media group Astro All Asia Networks plc and Albert Yeung’s Emperor Group:

  • Eat and Travel Weekly – Acquired by Astro in November 2006
  • Sudden Weekly – A women-focused entertainment magazine; sold to Astro in November 2006
  • Me – A cosmetics and fashion publication launched by Astro in December 2006

Hong Kong websites

Atnext.com stands as Hong Kong's premier portal for Chinese-language news and current affairs online, attracting an audience exceeding 2 million each month, with figures verified by Neilsen//Netratings.

Vertical/community portals These platforms integrate unique proprietary content and social networking features alongside curated material sourced from various websites:

  • Lady – A portal dedicated to women, featuring a vibrant community
  • Travel – A resource site offering travel-related information
  • Education – A comprehensive guide catering to learners across all educational stages
  • Motor – Provides automotive reviews and associated content
  • Life – An urban lifestyle resource
  • Racing – A subscription-based horse racing advisory service for Hong Kong and Macau (HK$1,888 annually)
  • Soccer – An all-encompassing guide for soccer enthusiasts
  • Health – A channel focused on medical and wellness topics

Taiwan publications

  • Apple Daily – Among Taiwan's top-selling daily newspapers
  • Sharp Daily – A complimentary daily newspaper
  • Next Magazine – A widely circulated weekly publication covering news and entertainment
  • Me (Taiwan version) – Weekly magazine edition

Corporate structure

The Board of Directors is responsible for steering Next Media’s strategic vision and overall performance, while delegating day-to-day management to executive directors and senior leaders. It also ensures prompt communication regarding major corporate developments.

Four committees within the Board focus on distinct responsibilities:

  • Executive Directors: Responsible for approving share issuances and allocations
  • Audit Committee: Monitors the accuracy of financial reports, adherence to legal standards, auditor credentials, and audit effectiveness
  • Remuneration Committee: Formulates and advises on compensation policies for directors and senior executives
  • Ad hoc Sub-committee: Composed of financial executives from key operating subsidiaries

Senior leadership

Note: This organizational framework has been in place since the Group's public listing in 1999; prior to that, it functioned as a private entity without a formal leadership hierarchy.

List of chairmen

  1. Jimmy Lai Chee-ying (1999–2014); served as executive chairman
  2. Cassian Cheung Ka-sing (interim Chairman 2014–2016); executive chairman role
  3. Ip Yut-kin (2016–2018); non-executive chairman
  4. Jimmy Lai Chee-ying (2018–2020); returned for a second term; initially non-executive until 2020, then briefly executive
  5. Ip Yut-kin (2020–2021)

List of chief executives

Note: The Chief Executive position remained unfilled between 2002 and 2006, during which Executive Chairman Jimmy Lai fulfilled CEO responsibilities

  1. Lim Tai-thong (2000)
  2. Pieter Lodewijk Schats (2001)
  3. Stephen Ting Ka-yu (2007)
  4. Jimmy Lai Chee-ying (2008)
  5. Chu Wah-hui (2008–2010)
  6. Chu Wah-hui and Cassian Cheung Ka-sing (2010–2011)
  7. Cassian Cheung Ka-sing (2011–2014; interim CEO 2014–2016)
  8. Cheung Kim-hung (2018–2021)

Subsidiaries

  • Apple Daily Limited
  • Apple Daily Online Limited
  • Apple Daily Printing Limited
  • Cameron Printing Company Limited
  • Database Gateway Limited
  • Easy Finder Limited
  • Easy Finder Hong Kong Marketing Limited
  • Easy Media Limited
  • Eat and Travel Weekly Company Limited
  • Next Media Animation Limited
  • Next Magazine Advertising Limited
  • Next Magazine Publishing Limited
  • Next Media Group Management Limited
  • Next Media Hong Kong/Publication Publishing Limited
  • Paramount Printing Company Limited
  • Rainbow Graphic & Printing Company Limited
  • Sudden Weekly Limited

External links

  1. ↑ ...
  2. ↑ ...
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