Editing The Wall Street Journal (section)

=== Hong Kong Journalists Association ===
In June 2024 ''Wall Street Journal'' editors learned that ''WSJ'' journalist [[Selina Cheng]] was a candidate for the leadership  of the [[Hong Kong Journalists Association]], a local press union. Cheng's editor demanded that she withdraw from the election and from participation in the union. However, the right to stand for election and participate in a union without employer consent are established under Hong Kong employment law. Cheng did not withdraw and was elected to the leadership role.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.economist.com/china/2024/07/24/the-noose-around-the-press-in-hong-kong-tightens | title=The noose around the press in Hong Kong tightens | newspaper=The Economist }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.barrons.com/news/ex-wsj-reporter-says-fired-over-role-in-hong-kong-press-union-002d09da | title=Ex-WSJ Reporter Says Fired over Role in Hong Kong Press Union }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/article/2024/jul/17/wall-street-journal-fires-new-chair-of-hong-kong-journalists-association | title=Wall Street Journal fires new chair of Hong Kong Journalists Association | newspaper=The Guardian | date=2024-07-17 | last1=Hawkins | first1=Amy }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://hongkongfp.com/2024/07/17/breaking-chair-of-hong-kong-journalists-association-selina-cheng-fired-by-wall-street-journal-weeks-after-election/ | title=Wall Street Journal fires Hong Kong reporter Selina Cheng | date=2024-07-17 }}</ref> In July 2024, the paper's chief editor Gordon Fairclough travelled to Hong Kong and fired her from her role at the ''WSJ''. In response to press queries, the ''WSJ'' declined to comment on Cheng's case except to acknowledge there had been "restructuring'". Cheng responded that the restructuring was a layoff of one person.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cjr.org/first_person/selina-cheng-wall-street-journal-gershkovich-evan-china-hong-kong-apple.php | title=I pushed for press freedom in Hong Kong. The Wall Street Journal fired me }}</ref>

The paper's action against Cheng attracted criticism from media organisations, press unions and human rights proponents across the globe.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://chinamediaproject.org/2024/07/19/code-of-silence/ | title=Code of Silence | first=Ryan Ho |last=Kilpatrick | website=chinamediaproject.org | date=2024-07-19 |access-date=2024-09-12 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-19/wall-street-journal-sacks-selina-cheng-press-freedom-concerns/104117976 | title=Chinese media applauds Wall Street Journal's sacking of Hong Kong journalist | first1=Max | last1=Walden |first2=Jenny |last2=Cai | work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] | date=2024-07-19 |access-date=2024-09-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3271052/overseas-groups-step-support-hong-kongs-selina-cheng-over-wall-street-journal-sacking | title=Global press groups support Hong Kong reporter over Wall Street Journal sacking | first=Connor | last=Mycroft | date=2024-07-19 | access-date=2024-09-12}}</ref> Chinese state media, meanwhile, celebrated her sacking, with the ''[[Global Times]]'', a tabloid owned by the [[Chinese Communist Party]], calling the press union "a malignant tumour that harms the city's safety and security".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://cpj.org/2024/08/cpj-calls-for-support-for-hong-kong-journalists-amid-growing-pressure-trial-delays/ | title=CPJ calls for support for Hong Kong journalists amid growing pressure, trial delays | date=August 12, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-19/wall-street-journal-sacks-selina-cheng-press-freedom-concerns/104117976|title=Chinese media applauds Wall Street Journal's sacking of Hong Kong journalist|newspaper=ABC News |date=July 19, 2024|via=www.abc.net.au}}</ref> When Hong Kong's security minister made a similar statement, Cheng responded that the ''Wall Street Journal'' had fired her to avoid being seen as advocating press freedom in the city.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-26 |title=The Wall Street Journal told staff to 'avoid press freedom advocacy in Hong Kong' |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3272069/wall-street-journal-firing-over-press-freedom-stance-hong-kong-selina-cheng-says |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cheng |first=Selina |title=I pushed for press freedom in Hong Kong. The Wall Street Journal fired me. |url=https://www.cjr.org/first_person/selina-cheng-wall-street-journal-gershkovich-evan-china-hong-kong-apple.php |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Columbia Journalism Review |language=en}}</ref> In November 2024, Cheng filed a civil lawsuit in Hong Kong against the newspaper over her firing.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 12, 2024 |title=Hong Kong journalist to sue Wall Street Journal over sacking |url=https://www.rfa.org/english/china/2024/11/12/china-hong-kong-wsj-journalist-sues-dismissal/ |access-date=November 13, 2024 |work=[[Radio Free Asia]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Leung |first=Kanis |date=2024-11-12 |title=Hong Kong reporter says she'll sue Wall Street Journal for dismissal because of her union role |url=https://apnews.com/article/selina-cheng-wsj-dismissal-hong-kong-65c74d2fd85b90bf63678238522cd8c3 |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=[[Associated Press]] |language=en}}</ref>

In February 2025, criminal proceedings against the ''WSJ'' began in Hong Kong.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chow |first1=Fiona |title=Hong Kong press union head sues former employer Wall Street Journal over firing |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3298495/hong-kong-press-union-head-launches-private-prosecution-against-ex-employer |website=[[South China Morning Post|SCMP]] |access-date=14 February 2025 |date=13 February 2025}}</ref>

In a series of articles about News Corp, Australian online news outlet [[Crikey]] described Cheng's firing as part of "turmoil" at the ''WSJ'' and that "the global purging of newsrooms is as much about creating a politically correct workforce of reliable journalistic cadres as it is about simply saving costs."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Christopher |date=2024-07-30 |title=Watch Hong Kong (not Reno) to understand what News Corp is really up to |url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2024/07/31/news-corp-lachlan-james-hong-kong/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Crikey |language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission|U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission]] annual report noted the significance of the event as demonstrating "the pressures on foreign media to self-censor in line with the [[CCP]]’s requirements". It concluded that the ''WSJ''<nowiki/>'s action "calls into question claims that foreign businesses have been unaffected by the new atmosphere following the passage of the [[2020 Hong Kong national security law|NSL]] and [[Safeguarding National Security Ordinance|Article 23 Ordinance]]".<ref>{{cite book |title=2024 REPORT TO CONGRESS |date=Nov 2024 |publisher=U.S.-CHINA ECONOMIC AND SECURITY REVIEW COMMISSION |page=698 |url=https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/2024-11/2024_Annual_Report_to_Congress.pdf |chapter=10}}</ref>