Remembering 1989: A case study of anniversary journalism in Hong Kong

This study analysed 487 news stories in 30 anniversary editions of a newspaper in Hong Kong, with an aim to systematically review what has been recorded and remembered about the commemoration on June 4th every year. Through analysis of recurring themes, the case sheds light on the ideological packages embedded in news stories, while also addressing emerging questions about anniversary journalism and collective memory. How Hong Kong remembers 1989 is a unique case in anniversary journalism. Contrary to the impression about commemoration, this study finds that both the quantity and the importance of the anniversary coverage increases over time. It is also found that these practices, while adhering to journalistic norms and routines, contributed to an increasingly stable theme about the remembrance. Remembering 1989, as well as remembering the commemoration, hence the values, emotional imprint, and moral clarity it comes to represent, is becoming equally important over time.