Next Digital

Next Digital Limited (Chinese: 壹傳媒有限公司 Jyutping: jat¹ cyun⁴ mui⁴ jau⁵ haan⁶ gung¹ si¹, pinyin: Yī Chuán Méi Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī), previously known as Next Media Limited, founded by Jimmy Lai, has 4,041 employees (as of 30 Sep 2013) and is the largest-listed media company in Hong Kong.

Subdivisions include Next Media Interactive. The corporation is known for introducing tabloid-style journalism into Hong Kong and Taiwan that set trends in both markets. Apple Daily was the first newspaper to use the massive graphics, bold headlines and full colour pages now common to all best-selling papers in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Next Media publications are also known for highly sensationalised articles which attract a wide range of readers, including critics. Next Media has often taken a clear and sometimes proactive support for democratic groups in Hong Kong. Some companies with ties to the government of China never advertise in any papers or magazines owned by Next Media.

The bold style of journalism seems to trigger constant troubles with the triads with incidents of criminal damages at the offices of Next Media. Apple Daily and its parent company Next Media are thought to be pioneer of paparazzi and yellow journalism in Hong Kong. A notable incident happened in 2006 when Gillian Chung, a member of singing group Twins, was shot changing clothes at the backstage by spy camera installed by a subsidy magazine of Next Media. The case triggered debated over paparazzi acts in Hong Kong and regulation of paparazzi was considered.