Easy Finder
Encyclopedia
Easy Finder was a weekly Chinese tabloid magazine
which was first published on September 13, 1991 in Hong Kong
. Published by Next Media
Limited which is owned by Jimmy Lai. It stopped publishing on May 23, 2007. Easy Finder was commonly known to participate in Yellow journalism
(ex. hidden cameras, aggressive pursuit, harassment
, etc.) in collecting story ideas.
which mainly provides information on new products. There was a section of job vacancy ads (青雲路) and a section of classified ads. The name of the magazine gives hints that it is originally more an information guide than a normal magazine. It became a separate magazine in 1991. The target readership of Easy Finder are youth and students.
Apart from Easy Finder, two additional publications (Eat and Travel Weekly (飲食男女) and Trading Express/Auto Express) (交易通/搵車快線) are included free of charge. Those three booklets cover the latest trends, for instance, fashion
, hot gossip, horoscopes, food
, fitness
, etc. The average net circulation per issue reached 118,720 (April 1 - June 30, 2003) according to Hong Kong Audit Bureau of Circulations
.
Easy Finder published its last issue (No 800) on May 22, 2007. Eat and Travel Weekly and Trading Express/Auto Express continue to published and are included from issue No 801 with FACE Weekly, a new magazine under the same stable of Next Media
. The official website of Easy Finder is now re-diverted to FACE Weekly's new website.
Easy Finder maintains a heavy coverage of entertainment news. Since teenagers in Hong Kong are interested in local entertainment and show business, Easy Finder puts a lot of emphasis on entertainment news. Even when some of the reports are just rumors without solidity, they still appear on the cover if they are attractive and sensational enough.
Easy Finder is a market-oriented publication which tries to supply for what it perceives to be what young people desire. Images of sexy or even half-naked models appear on the cover. It covers a lot of sensitive topics such as sex, drugs, and even suicide. Reports on crimes such as murder and prostitution are often seen in this magazine. Such negative but shocking topics are the selling points of this magazine and these have undoubtedly attracted young readers.
However, it has also raised strong argument among the society. Many people claim that such awful and sexual pictures and topics will bring serious and harmful effects to the teenagers. This makes Easy Finder the most controversial magazine in Hong Kong. A lot of people do not accept the magazine, but the circulation stands.
(PDA) format is also available.
ceased its subscription to the magazine in March 2003.
On August 22, 2006, Hong Kong tabloid magazine Easy Finder published a series of photos of Gillian Chung
inside a changing room after a Twins concert at the Arena of Stars in Genting
, Malaysia. The pictures were taken while she was in the changing room with her personal assistant. One of the cover photos shows Chung's bare back as she is fixing her bra backstage. Her breasts are not revealed. A second, smaller cover photo shows Chung undressed and naked from the shoulder up. Hong Kong celebrities such as Jackie Chan
staged a public protest denouncing the magazine's irresponsible actions.
The Hong Kong Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority received 2,875 complaints regarding the revealing photos and the incident was referred to the Obscene Articles Tribunal for further action. On November 1, 2006, Easy Finder lost its appeal against an obscenity ruling on the published article and pictures. In the appeal, a panel consisting of one Magistrate
and four lay members, upheld the judgement, branding the article obscene, and saying it was a "calculated act of selling sexuality which is corrupting and revolting". During an interview of Jimmy Lai (founder of Next Media
, Easy Finder's publisher) on the television show By My Guest, he apologized to Gillian and claimed that he will return all the negatives of the photos.
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
which was first published on September 13, 1991 in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Published by Next Media
Next Media
Next Media Limited , founded by serial entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, has more than 3,600 employees and is the largest-listed media company in Hong Kong....
Limited which is owned by Jimmy Lai. It stopped publishing on May 23, 2007. Easy Finder was commonly known to participate in Yellow journalism
Yellow journalism
Yellow journalism or the yellow press is a type of journalism that presents little or no legitimate well-researched news and instead uses eye-catching headlines to sell more newspapers. Techniques may include exaggerations of news events, scandal-mongering, or sensationalism...
(ex. hidden cameras, aggressive pursuit, harassment
Harassment
Harassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behaviour intended to disturb or upset, and it is characteristically repetitive. In the legal sense, it is intentional behaviour which is found threatening or disturbing...
, etc.) in collecting story ideas.
History
Initially, Easy Finder was a free supplementary booklet of Next MagazineNext Magazine
Next Magazine is a Chinese weekly magazine, published in Hong Kong and Taiwan with different versions. Owned by Jimmy Lai , both magazines are the number one news magazines in both markets in terms of audited circulation and AC Nielsen reports...
which mainly provides information on new products. There was a section of job vacancy ads (青雲路) and a section of classified ads. The name of the magazine gives hints that it is originally more an information guide than a normal magazine. It became a separate magazine in 1991. The target readership of Easy Finder are youth and students.
Apart from Easy Finder, two additional publications (Eat and Travel Weekly (飲食男女) and Trading Express/Auto Express) (交易通/搵車快線) are included free of charge. Those three booklets cover the latest trends, for instance, fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
, hot gossip, horoscopes, food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
, fitness
Physical fitness
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
, etc. The average net circulation per issue reached 118,720 (April 1 - June 30, 2003) according to Hong Kong Audit Bureau of Circulations
Hong Kong Audit Bureau of Circulations
The Hong Kong Audit Bureau of Circulations , or HKABC in short, was established in April 1995.It is a non-profit organization which aims at promoting the cause of circulation auditing in Hong Kong...
.
Easy Finder published its last issue (No 800) on May 22, 2007. Eat and Travel Weekly and Trading Express/Auto Express continue to published and are included from issue No 801 with FACE Weekly, a new magazine under the same stable of Next Media
Next Media
Next Media Limited , founded by serial entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, has more than 3,600 employees and is the largest-listed media company in Hong Kong....
. The official website of Easy Finder is now re-diverted to FACE Weekly's new website.
Magazine sections
There are twelve sections in Easy Finder:- Ji Zone (激 Zone) (hot gossips)
- Easy Girl (pin-up girls, Models)
- Manhuazuo (漫動作) (comics news)
- Qingyunlu (青雲路) (careers, success stories)
- Touwenzi Evolution (頭文字Evolution) (cars, motors)
- Yuletian (娛樂天) (showbiz)
- Chaoliu Wucun (潮流屋村) (fashion, trends)
- Digi Finder (Digital products)
- Xinli Ceyan (心理測驗) (personality test)
- Zhan Me Life (占 Me Life) (horoscope)
- Bianli Bojing (便利波經) (soccer betting)
- Bianli Zhuweng Guangchang (便利諸嗡廣場) (reader's forum)
Positioning
In order to attract teenage readers, this magazine uses a lot of Cantonese colloquial words which are very popular in leisure magazines in Hong Kong. Recent examples are "潮" (fashionable) and "界" (to court someone). The use of colloquial Cantonese words, however, does not comply to traditional or 'correct' written Chinese grammar.Easy Finder maintains a heavy coverage of entertainment news. Since teenagers in Hong Kong are interested in local entertainment and show business, Easy Finder puts a lot of emphasis on entertainment news. Even when some of the reports are just rumors without solidity, they still appear on the cover if they are attractive and sensational enough.
Easy Finder is a market-oriented publication which tries to supply for what it perceives to be what young people desire. Images of sexy or even half-naked models appear on the cover. It covers a lot of sensitive topics such as sex, drugs, and even suicide. Reports on crimes such as murder and prostitution are often seen in this magazine. Such negative but shocking topics are the selling points of this magazine and these have undoubtedly attracted young readers.
However, it has also raised strong argument among the society. Many people claim that such awful and sexual pictures and topics will bring serious and harmful effects to the teenagers. This makes Easy Finder the most controversial magazine in Hong Kong. A lot of people do not accept the magazine, but the circulation stands.
Electronic Version
Easy Finder publishes an electronic version via PDA version or via internet. In the electronic version, subscribers have access to not only the latest issue but also previous issues up to Issue 479 (02-04-2001) in archives. Personal Digital AssistantPersonal digital assistant
A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...
(PDA) format is also available.
Cover girl incident
On June 25, 2002, Easy Finder was prosecuted by the Obscene Article Tribunal under Section 24 of the Hong Kong Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance for publishing a picture of a naked girl in issue 570 without adding warning on the front page. The article's heading was "Cover Girl - tattoo at least once regardless of age" (Cover Girl - 幾大都要紋一次) and it was classified as class II article (indecent article). Easy Finder was eventually fined $10,000 and has accumulated 12 criminal records of the similar cases (as of July 25, 2003). As a result, Hong Kong Public LibraryHong Kong Public Library
The Hong Kong Public Library system in Hong Kong consists of 66 static and 10 mobile libraries offering a total collection of 12.5 million items...
ceased its subscription to the magazine in March 2003.
Valentine's day romance guide
For instance, as a protest to its sex-related articles in the booklet of “情人節浪漫手冊” included in volume 366, Rev. Lo Sek Wai (羅錫為牧師), the chief board member of Goodnews Communication International Ltd(福音傳播中心), urged for a boycott of Easy Finder and made a complaint to the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority.Gillian Chung dressing room incident
Gillian Chung
Gillian Chung is a Hong Kong based singer and actress. She is a member of Cantopop group Twins, along with Charlene Choi.-Early life:...
inside a changing room after a Twins concert at the Arena of Stars in Genting
Genting
Genting may refer to:*Genting Group, a Malaysian company*Genting Highlands, a mountain resort in Malaysia**Genting Sempah, the mountain on which the Genting Highlands resort is situated*Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway, a federal highway in Malaysia...
, Malaysia. The pictures were taken while she was in the changing room with her personal assistant. One of the cover photos shows Chung's bare back as she is fixing her bra backstage. Her breasts are not revealed. A second, smaller cover photo shows Chung undressed and naked from the shoulder up. Hong Kong celebrities such as Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
staged a public protest denouncing the magazine's irresponsible actions.
The Hong Kong Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority received 2,875 complaints regarding the revealing photos and the incident was referred to the Obscene Articles Tribunal for further action. On November 1, 2006, Easy Finder lost its appeal against an obscenity ruling on the published article and pictures. In the appeal, a panel consisting of one Magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
and four lay members, upheld the judgement, branding the article obscene, and saying it was a "calculated act of selling sexuality which is corrupting and revolting". During an interview of Jimmy Lai (founder of Next Media
Next Media
Next Media Limited , founded by serial entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, has more than 3,600 employees and is the largest-listed media company in Hong Kong....
, Easy Finder's publisher) on the television show By My Guest, he apologized to Gillian and claimed that he will return all the negatives of the photos.