Yuen-Ying Chan

Yuen-Ying Chan
Born	Hong Kong
Nationality	Chinese
Alma mater	University of Michigan
Occupation(s)	journalist, professor
Awards	International Press Freedom Award(1997)

In thisChinese name,thefamily nameisChan.

Yuen-Ying Chan(Chinese:Trần uyển oánh;pinyin:Chén Wǎnyíng;Cantonese Yale:Chan⁴Yun²-ying⁴,also known asYing Chan) is a Hong Kong-based journalist and journalism academic whose investigative work and subsequent successful defence of a libel suit helped establishTaiwanesemediafreedom.

Background and career overview

AHong Kongnative,Chan received a bachelor's degree in social sciences from theUniversity of Hong Kongand a master's in journalism from theChinese University of Hong Kong.Chan moved to the United States in 1972 to pursue a graduate degree at theUniversity of Michigan.She later worked for the New YorkDaily News.

In 1999, Chan founded theJournalism and Media Studies Centreat theUniversity of Hong Kong,with it offering both graduate and undergraduate degrees in journalism. She then led the centre as Director until 2016.She also established the Cheung Kong School of Journalism and Communication atShantou UniversityinGuangdong,China, and became its first dean.

In October 2016, she joined Hong Kongpublic policythink tankCivic Exchangeas a Distinguished Fellow.

Liu Tai-ying libel action

In 1996, Chan collaborated withShieh Chung-liang,theTaiwanbureau chief of the Hong Kong-based magazineYazhou Zhoukanto investigate possible Taiwanese contributions to US PresidentBill Clinton'sre-election campaign.The pair wrote an article that appeared on 25 October reporting that Liu Tai-ying, the business manager of Taiwan'sKuomintangpolitical party, had offered $15 million to Mark Middleton, an ex-ClintonWhite Houseaide.The article included a denial from Liu that he had offered the money.Liu went on to file a criminal libel suit against the pair on 7 November.Chen Chao-ping, a political consultant named as the source of the story, was added as a co-defendant.Liu also filed a civil suit for $15 million in damages.

Calling the trial "a test case for press freedom in Asia",The Committee to Protect Journalistsfiled anamicus briefon their behalf, as did ten major US media companies.The Kuomintang called a special meeting to endorse the libel suit and condemn Chan and Shieh.However, a Taiwanese district court ruled in the pair's favour on 22 April 1997.The ruling was "hailed as a landmark decision" for press freedom by media watchdog groups, in part because Judge Lee Wei-shen's decision acknowledged the constitutionalright to a free pressfor the first time in Taiwanese judicial history.

Other career activity

In 2006, she strongly criticised the search engine Google for censoring itsChinese service,calling it "a missed opportunity to help nurture free journalism in the country".

Awards and honours

Chan's honours include a 1995Nieman Fellowshipat Harvard Universityand aGeorge Polk Awardfor excellence in American journalism.

In November 1997, theCommittee to Protect Journalistsgave Chan and Shieh itsInternational Press Freedom Award,"an annual recognition of courageous journalism".The award citation stated that "[Chan and Shieh's] courage sets an example in a region noted for both widespread self-censorship and government intervention in the functioning of the press."

In August 2013, theAsian American Journalists Associationhonoured Chan with a Lifetime Achievement Award, citing her media studies leadership roles at HKU and Shantou University."Through journalism programs at both universities she is raising a new generation of questioning, curious and fair journalists right on the doorstep of mainland China," the award citation said in part.

Chan was a member of thePeabody AwardsBoard of Jurorsfrom 2003 to 2009.

External links

• Briefby US media organisations in support of Chan and Shieh