We got out onto the streets of Hong Kong after rush hour this morning and missed the free newspaper frenzy I’m told you can see at the exits of the main railway stations.
This lady was busy handing out one free broadsheet. She was in uniform and quite proactive – standing in the middle of the footpath – making sure everyone passing was offered.
This chap was the only other person we saw. No uniform. Less proactive. I guess the paper is known – his was brighter looking and tabloid. One of our party who went for a walk at 7:30 said it was a frenzy with people reaching for the free newspapers.
I checked Dr. Piet Bakker’s excellent blog on free newspapers – Newspaper Innovation – for an update on free papers in Hong Kong but there was not much. We will keep our eyes open for the rest of the trip. Newsstands are full of paid for newspapers but I suspect the free and paid are focused on different markets as is the case in Australia.