{"id":845932,"date":"2025-11-07T01:00:03","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T01:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/?p=845932"},"modified":"2025-11-06T05:46:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T05:46:11","slug":"macau-independent-news-outlet-announces-closure-following-government-deregistration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/2025\/11\/07\/macau-independent-news-outlet-announces-closure-following-government-deregistration\/","title":{"rendered":"Macau independent news outlet announces closure following government deregistration"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The front page of the independent media outlet All About Macau<\/a> on October 30, 2025. The Chinese words say: \u201cTake care.\u201d Photo: Screenshot.<\/p><\/div>\n

This report was written by Hans Tse and published\u00a0<\/a>in Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) on October 31, 2025. The following edited version is published as part of a content-sharing agreement with Global Voices.<\/em><\/p>\n

All About Macau, an independent media outlet in the casino hub, has said it is closing down after authorities denied its reporters entry to official events and deregistered the company under the city\u2019s press law.<\/p>\n

In an\u00a0announcement<\/a> on October 30, 2025, the news outlet said it would stop its monthly publication after the October issue and cease updates to its website and social media accounts from December 20 onward, citing \u201cincreasing pressure and risk.\u201d December 20 marks the 26th anniversary of the former Portuguese colony\u2019s handover to China.<\/p>\n

The Chinese announcement said:<\/p>\n

\u81ea\u53bb\u5e74\uff082024\uff0910 \u6708\u8d77\uff0c\u90e8\u5206\u5b98\u65b9\u6d3b\u52d5\u9650\u5236\u300a\u8ad6\u76e1\u300b\u8a18\u8005\u5165\u5834\u63a1\u8a2a \u3002\u4eca\u5e74 4 \u6708\uff0c\u672c\u5a92\u518d\u88ab\u62d2\u9032\u5165\u7acb\u6cd5\u6703\u63a1\u8a2a\uff0c\u73fe\u6642\u672c\u5a92 3 \u540d\u8a18\u8005\u56e0\u6b64\u4e8b\u4ef6\u88ab\u6307\u6d89\u53ca\u5211\u4e8b\u7f6a\u884c\uff0c\u6216\u5c07\u9762\u81e8\u5211\u4e8b\u6aa2\u63a7\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Since last October (2024), some official events have prevented reporters from All About Macau from entering. In April, All About Macau was once again denied entry to the Legislative Assembly, and three of our reporters are now facing possible criminal prosecutions due to the incident.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The independent media outlet\u2019s reporters were barred from entering the press area of the Legislative Assembly chamber on April 15, 2025, to cover Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai\u2019s policy address. Two days later, two other journalists from All About Macau were detained for 11 hours after attempting to enter the Legislative Council. They were accused of <\/span>\u201c<\/span>disruption of the operation of organs of the Macau Special Administrative Region<\/span><\/a>\u201d under Article 304 of the Penal Code. The maximum penalty for the charge is up to three years in prison.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the two detained reporters was the president of the Macau Journalists Association (MJA), Ian Sio Tou, according to a statement<\/a> issued by the press union shortly after.<\/p>\n

The MJA said at that time it \u201cdeeply regrets\u201d the incident. The Estonia-based Society of European Journalists & Communication Professionals in Asia called it<\/a>\u00a0\u201ca serious attack on press freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to facing legal threats, the media outlet was also denied re-registration, which is a requirement for operating a news outlet in Macau:<\/p>\n

\u65b0\u805e\u5c40\u4ea6\u5728 10 \u6708\u901a\u77e5\u672c\u5a92\uff0c\u6839\u64da\u300a\u51fa\u7248\u6cd5\u300b\uff0c\u672c\u5a92\u300c\u5df2\u4e0d\u5177\u5099\u6cd5\u5b9a\u689d\u4ef6\u5f9e\u4e8b\u76f8\u95dc\u6d3b\u52d5\u300d\uff0c\u800c\u300a\u8ad6\u76e1\u300b\u6708\u520a\u767b\u8a18\u7de8\u865f\u5df2\u88ab\u53d6\u6d88\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Macau\u2019s Government Information Bureau has also informed us in October that the periodicals registration of All About Macau has been cancelled and that, under the Press Law, this media \u2018no longer has the legal basis for conducting relevant activities.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u300a\u8ad6\u76e1\u300b\u4e00\u76f4\u9760\u5c11\u91cf\u5ee3\u544a\u6536\u5165\u3001\u8b80\u8005\u8a02\u95b1\u4ee5\u53ca\u5c0f\u984d\u6350\u6b3e\u7dad\u6301\u6709\u9650\u904b\u4f5c\u3002\u5728\u9762\u5c0d\u8cc7\u6e90\u5331\u4e4f\u3001\u5916\u90e8\u58d3\u529b\u65e5\u589e\uff0c\u4ee5\u53ca\u6240\u5c6c\u8a18\u8005\u9808\u61c9\u5c0d\u53f8\u6cd5\u7a0b\u5e8f\u7684\u60c5\u6cc1\u4e0b\uff0c\u5718\u968a\u6df1\u611f\u96e3\u4ee5\u7dad\u6301\u5831\u9053\u54c1\u8cea\uff0c\u7121\u5948\u4e0b\u53ea\u80fd\u4f5c\u51fa\u8a72\u8271\u96e3\u6c7a\u5b9a\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

All About Macau has long relied on a small amount of advertising income, readers\u2019 subscriptions, and donations to maintain a limited operation. As resources become scarce and external pressure intensifies, with our reporters facing legal proceedings, our team is convinced that we may not be able to maintain the quality of our reporting.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) checked the Macau Government Information Bureau\u2019s online system on Thursday but could not find All About Macau on a list of registered publications.<\/p>\n

As of 2024, a total of 111 publications had valid registration with the Government Information Bureau, according to information provided on the online system. Eleven periodicals had their registrations cancelled last year.<\/p>\n

According to Macau\u2019s Media Registration Regulations, the registration of a daily publication will be cancelled after 180 days without publishing, while other registered periodicals\u2019 registration will be revoked for one year without publication.<\/p>\n

It is not immediately clear on what grounds the Macau government cancelled All About Macau\u2019s media registration. HKFP has reached out to the Macau government for comment.<\/p>\n