HKU POP SITE releases the latest findings on the four subjective freedom indicatorsBack

The Public Opinion Programme (POP) at the University of Hong Kong today releases on schedule via the "HKU POP SITE" (http://hkupop.pori.hk) the latest results of the 4 subjective freedom indicators on Hong Kong's freedom of "speech", "press", "publication" and "procession and demonstration". Recent figures are summarized as follows:

* "95% confidence level" means that if we were to repeat a certain survey 100 times, using the same questions each time but with different random samples, we would expect 95 times getting a figure within the error margins specified.

Results showed that, on a scale of 0-10, the freedom of "press" scored the highest rating with 7.21 marks. "Publication" and "procession and demonstration" freedoms attained an equal rating of 7.17 marks, while "speech" freedom scored 6.96 marks.

Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of Public Opinion Programme, made the following analysis: "Hong Kong people's appraisal of their freedom to demonstrate surged quickly after the July 1 Demonstration, and then retreated a little. It now scores higher than the freedom of speech, and can be considered as one of the positive contributions of July 1."

POP's normal practice is to release the results of our regular surveys every Tuesday at 2 pm via our POP Site, except during public holidays, each time with a forecast of the items to be released in the forthcoming week. We will review and adjust this operation regularly. According to this schedule, the date and time of our next release will be October 28, 2003, Tuesday, at 2 pm, the latest results of the popularity of CE Tung Chee-hwa, people's appraisal of the performance of the Hong Kong SAR Government and members of the Legislative Council in general will be released.

Shall anyone have any question regarding the research design of the surveys published in the POP Site, members of the POP Team will be happy to answer them, but we will not further comment on the findings. Shall any person or journalist have any other questions, please email them to us at <[email protected]>. The Director of Public Opinion Programme would answer them as soon as possible. We will keep such an arrangement under constant review, suggestions most welcome. Please note that everything carried in the POP Site does not represent the stand of the University of Hong Kong. Dr Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of Public Opinion Programme, is responsible for everything posted herewith, except for column articles which represent the stand of their authors.