China Daily hopes to attract local advertisers with free weekly, Focus Hong Kong

Patrick Chan, advertising director of China Daily Hong Kong told Campaign Asia-Pacific that the launch of Focus Hong Kong comes from the knowledge that China Daily lacks in-depth coverage of Hong Kong.

The circulation of this trial-run free paper is around 10,000 to 20,000. It will be distributed in key business districts in Central and Wan Chai, targeting readers from the business and expat communities.

Chan noted that instead of covering breaking news like other existing Chinese and English newspapers in Hong Kong, Focus Hong Kong will mainly have feature stories relating to politics, economics and business, as well as commentary from dozens of well-known figures in the business and political communities in order to provide a 'second voice'. Examples include Lau Nai-Keung and Joseph Wong Wing Ping (王永平), former secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology and the secretary for the Civil Service in the Hong Kong SAR Government.

Chan said the paper will open to advertising after two to three issues, targeting advertisers from professional services, including serviced apartments (a current major advertising source) and professional businesses in banking and finance.

In the past, China Daily’s advertisers have mainly been Chinese companies like Bank of China and ICBC. Chan hopes to attract more Hong Kong advertisers.

China Daily is also planning to launch as online edition of Focus Hong Kong later this year.

A former 4A media agency GM who is currently working for a local Chinese newspaper commented that "for Hong Kong and Chinese news, it makes more sense to hear it from the Chinese writers rather than foreigners or western press like WSJ or The Economist."

However, this source saw circualtion as a key challenge, "By handing out the free papers randomly in the street, how would they know they are reaching the hands of their right target audiences, especially as the majority of the readers in Hong Kong would prefer to read in Chinese?" the source asked. "They could consider a paid model, as readers are willing to pay for quality papers with valuable information."