how about this one: critical enough?
Hong Kong news baron's zeal for democracy undimmed
Story Highlights
Media tycoon Jimmy Lai is a staunch China critic and democracy advocate
Lai's runs Hong Kong's largest listed media group, which is in robust health
His anti-establishment stance has meant boycotts from Beijing-friendly firms
Lai believes Beijing could allow Hong Kong to elect its leader within 10 years
HONG KONG, China (Reuters) -- Media tycoon Jimmy Lai is a rarity in Hong Kong's business circles, a staunch China critic and democracy advocate who has overcome local hostility to succeed with a mix of pragmatism and a Midas touch.
Stretching back in his sunlit office, decorated with a large, colorful painting of parrots by Chinese artist Walasse Ting, Lai seems a picture of confidence some 10 years after the former British colony reverted to Chinese rule on July 1, 1997.
"We're lucky ... I didn't expect things to go this way, I was a pessimist about China, but things have gone much better than I expected," said Lai of the current state of press freedom.
Lai's Next Media empire, the city's largest listed media group which runs magazines and newspapers in Hong Kong and Taiwan, is in robust health.
The Apple Daily, his populist newspaper known for its gratuitous sex and violence with a staunch anti-China, pro-democracy stance, is the city's second-most popular daily with a circulation of around 300,000.
But Lai says there has been a notable trend of self-censorship at rival newspapers since the handover to avoid offending Beijing and harming commercial interests in the city and in China where personal relationships or "guanxi" are a key ingredient for business.
"It's all self-censorship, nobody did it because of persecution, intimidation or threats," Lai told Reuters.
But Lai says his anti-establishment stance has meant "advertising boycotts" from Beijing-friendly firms, costing him HK$200 million ($26 million) annually in lost potential revenue.
Ostracized but comfortable
Mainland-born Lai, 58, a stocky figure with a boxer's build and crewcut hair who was smuggled into Hong Kong on a fishing boat at the age of 12, considers himself a rebel for his convictions, and a pragmatic businessman rather than an idealist.
Lai says the June 4, 1989 crackdown in Beijing spurred him to switch from the garment to newspaper business.
He describes the People's Republic as a "pariah state" and once dubbed then-premier Li Peng "a son of a turtle egg," a highly offensive Chinese term, for his role in the bloody 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Lai believes Beijing could allow Hong Kong to directly elect its leader within 10 years, but not in a "100 percent pure form" -- something the pragmatic tycoon is willing to accept.
"At the end of the day, unless we make a compromise, a deal is very difficult to get struck ... You just have to compromise in order to overcome (Beijing's) psychological barrier to democracy and freedom," he said.
"History will prevail, people will prevail, democracy will prevail," he added.
Hong Kong news baron's zeal for democracy undimmed
Story Highlights
Media tycoon Jimmy Lai is a staunch China critic and democracy advocate
Lai's runs Hong Kong's largest listed media group, which is in robust health
His anti-establishment stance has meant boycotts from Beijing-friendly firms
Lai believes Beijing could allow Hong Kong to elect its leader within 10 years
HONG KONG, China (Reuters) -- Media tycoon Jimmy Lai is a rarity in Hong Kong's business circles, a staunch China critic and democracy advocate who has overcome local hostility to succeed with a mix of pragmatism and a Midas touch.
Stretching back in his sunlit office, decorated with a large, colorful painting of parrots by Chinese artist Walasse Ting, Lai seems a picture of confidence some 10 years after the former British colony reverted to Chinese rule on July 1, 1997.
"We're lucky ... I didn't expect things to go this way, I was a pessimist about China, but things have gone much better than I expected," said Lai of the current state of press freedom.
Lai's Next Media empire, the city's largest listed media group which runs magazines and newspapers in Hong Kong and Taiwan, is in robust health.
The Apple Daily, his populist newspaper known for its gratuitous sex and violence with a staunch anti-China, pro-democracy stance, is the city's second-most popular daily with a circulation of around 300,000.
But Lai says there has been a notable trend of self-censorship at rival newspapers since the handover to avoid offending Beijing and harming commercial interests in the city and in China where personal relationships or "guanxi" are a key ingredient for business.
"It's all self-censorship, nobody did it because of persecution, intimidation or threats," Lai told Reuters.
But Lai says his anti-establishment stance has meant "advertising boycotts" from Beijing-friendly firms, costing him HK$200 million ($26 million) annually in lost potential revenue.
Ostracized but comfortable
Mainland-born Lai, 58, a stocky figure with a boxer's build and crewcut hair who was smuggled into Hong Kong on a fishing boat at the age of 12, considers himself a rebel for his convictions, and a pragmatic businessman rather than an idealist.
Lai says the June 4, 1989 crackdown in Beijing spurred him to switch from the garment to newspaper business.
He describes the People's Republic as a "pariah state" and once dubbed then-premier Li Peng "a son of a turtle egg," a highly offensive Chinese term, for his role in the bloody 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Lai believes Beijing could allow Hong Kong to directly elect its leader within 10 years, but not in a "100 percent pure form" -- something the pragmatic tycoon is willing to accept.
"At the end of the day, unless we make a compromise, a deal is very difficult to get struck ... You just have to compromise in order to overcome (Beijing's) psychological barrier to democracy and freedom," he said.
"History will prevail, people will prevail, democracy will prevail," he added.
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