News, networks, and nostalgia: Examining the role of Hong Kong media and diaspora communities in identity preservation and integration

This study examines how Hong Kong migrants in the United Kingdom negotiate cultural identity through media habits and diaspora networks. Drawing on a 2023 survey of 1237 respondents, the analysis shows that stronger Hong Kong identity predicts greater engagement with diaspora communities and higher consumption of Hong Kong news. These behaviors, in turn, are associated with lower adoption of British cultural identity. Regression and mediation models reveal two key mechanisms: first, ethnic news media reinforces cultural boundaries and limits acculturation; second, active and emotional ties to diaspora organizations deepen cultural maintenance while constraining host-society identification. Interestingly, entertainment media had no measurable effect. The total effect of Hong Kong identity on British identity is largely explained by these two mediating pathways rather than by direct association alone. These findings suggest that identity preservation and cultural integration are not opposing forces but linked through institutional and behavioral practices. The study contributes to the literature on intercultural relations by clarifying how media and networks jointly structure identity outcomes in migrant contexts.