With the space for authentic journalism and media activity in Hong Kong constantly under pressure, the launch of any new outlet is a reason to sit up and take notice — even if the founders are, by their own admission, “not journalism professionals.”
On May 1, a new outlet called The Relay (接力者) announced its formation on Threads and Instagram. The outlet is run by a small volunteer team describing themselves as Hong Kong enthusiasts of history and current affairs.
Their model sounds straightforward enough: summarize and translate reporting and commentary from European and American newspapers and magazines, primarily English and German-language sources. The idea is to make these stories accessible to Chinese-language readers, with all sources openly offered for transparency. The outlet is searching for extra hands to help summarize foreign reporting and design social media posts. “The Relay is sincerely recruiting volunteers interested in history and current affairs to join our team,” read the post on Threads.
It is unclear whether the outlet is geographically anchored in Hong Kong, or whether the team is working remotely across borders. What is clear is that the founders are motivated to find a new way toward “balanced” coverage in a difficult landscape. “We feel that today’s social media is oversaturated, and digital media is becoming increasingly fragmented and sensationalist,” the founders wrote in their launch statement. “Although we aren’t journalism professionals, we hope to do our best to present balanced international news and information to Chinese-speaking readers.”
