Taiwan’s highest-circulation newspaper -- Apple Daily -- issued its final print edition on Monday. The publication, owned by Hong Kong-based Next Digital, operated in Taiwan for 18 years. It is a sister publication of the Hong Kong newspaper with the same name.
Taiwan’s Apple Daily made a sudden announcement last week that it would halt its print publication. The move follows on the heels of a Hong Kong government decision to freeze the assets of Next Digital Founder Jimmy Lai. Lai has been an outspoken activist who openly criticized the Hong Kong government.
Top brass at Next Digital have said that the freezing of Lai’s assets has nothing to do with Next Digital’s bank accounts and it won’t affect operations.
The Apple Daily set records for sales and circulation among Taiwan’s newspapers. However, it has operated at a loss in recent years due to the rise of online news outlets.
The front page of Monday’s Apple Daily bid its readers “farewell.” It featured a full-color cover that commemorated notable stories the publication covered, including the 2003 SARS outbreak, and last month’s Hualien train derailment.
Apple Daily will continue to operate on-line. The publication says it will retain its staff and continue bringing readers breaking news and riveting interviews.