Technology as a Medium for Communication
Imagine walking into an exhibition about Hong Kong’s fisheries industry and being greeted not by static display panels, but by five fish that serve as your personal guides through the history of local fisheries. With a simple swipe of your finger across a screen, you gain X-ray vision to explore the internal anatomy of different fish species. You can even step onto a replica fishing raft and compete in games that challenge you to sort farmed fish by category, truly experiencing a fisherman’s daily routine. This innovative project, designed by Siu Yat-long Ron’s team, was a resounding success. “The clients and our team thoroughly enjoyed the process, and visitors of all ages responded wonderfully.”
We live in a new era where the impossible has become routine through digital innovation. Yet rewind to 2015, when interactive media production remained a niche field. Siu chuckles when recalling how the general public understood interactivity as merely “waving your hands and feet around in shopping malls.” Together with friends, he founded a company specializing in museum and exhibition design, leveraging multimedia and interactive elements through multi-screen projection, motion-sensing installations, virtual reality (VR) technology, and animation design. But why does interactivity matter? “Interactive design uses various cues to capture audience attention, requiring active participation to complete the experience. Through this engagement, the messages become uniquely memorable and impactful.”
Technology’s applications span far and wide. Loh Chan Stephen, a respected veteran in Hong Kong journalism, has boldly pivoted to AI and big data analysis. In 2014, as social media and online forums surged and the media landscape transformed, he anticipated the explosive growth of online public opinion monitoring. After five years of system development, he launched a public relations company in 2019 that uses big data to analyze public sentiment across 1,500 websites, seven major forums, and 7,000 Facebook pages. The company produces public opinion reports and develops crisis management strategies for businesses and institutions. “We process up to two million related reports and comments daily. Human eyes simply can’t keep pace, nor can they necessarily spot emerging risks in real-time. Without big data, analyzing trends and understanding specific negative public perceptions becomes nearly impossible.”
Journalism and communication students learn that news work must uphold principles of truth-seeking, accuracy, fairness, and neutrality. Today, Loh applies these same standards to big data, faithfully reflecting public opinion. He repeatedly emphasizes that the industry must “evolve with the times.” “AI dramatically reduces your workload, freeing up time for careful refinement or developing more creative approaches to meet future challenges.”
Siu studied journalism and communication because “people seem inherently connected to communication throughout their lives.” Today, his work similarly focuses on helping clients effectively reach their audiences. While technology advances at lightning speed, he stresses that his company doesn’t chase innovation for its own sake. Multimedia and technology simply provide additional tools for expression—the content remains paramount. “Our role is determining the most befitting approach for conveying each key message.”
Profiles:
Loh Chan Stephen graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Communication from The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1979. He has served in management positions at various news media organizations including Now News, Hong Kong Economic Journal, and Hong Kong Digital Broadcasting. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of ASI Analytics & Media Limited.
Siu Yat-long Ron graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from the School of Journalism and Communication at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2012. In 2015, he co-founded cross-media design company ioio studio with friends and currently serves as Project Producer.
