Why jailed Jimmy Lai's plight is a warning for press freedom and us all, everywhere episode artwork

EPISODE · May 12, 2026 · 54 MIN

Why jailed Jimmy Lai's plight is a warning for press freedom and us all, everywhere

from Big Ideas · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation

From rags, to riches, to a prison cell. He could have stayed wealthy and silent, but chose not to. Hong Kong's Jimmy Lai launched newspapers that dared to challenge Beijing, advocate for democracy, and report the truth when the truth was dangerous. Now Jimmy Lai faces a life sentence under China's crackdown on press freedom. But his story sends a warning to us all, everywhere.What happens when power decides that a free press is a threat? This event, The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, and China's Most Feared Critic was presented by the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate CenterSpeakersMark CliffordPresident of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong FoundationAuthor of The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, and China's Most Feared CriticEvan Osnos (host)Staff writer at The New Yorker

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Why jailed Jimmy Lai's plight is a warning for press freedom and us all, everywhere

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