Category: Press Release

South China Morning Post launches Olympic Micro-site

HONG KONG, April 30, 2008 – The South China Morning Post announced today the launch of Olympic micro-site – www.scmp.com/olympics.

The brand new Olympic micro-site is the ultimate guide to the Games with all the latest news and insights into the Beijing Olympics. Featuring interviews with the stars, in-depth analysis written by SCMP’s award-winning journalists, event information and photo gallery, the new site is every Olympics watcher’s passport to the Games. Fabulous prizes are given away through weekly online events and promotions.

Commenting on the launch of the new site, scmp.com Assistant Director David Savelson said, "The 2008 Olympics go beyond the world of sport. They are also about the emergence of China on the world stage. We have been the leading English source of independent news and analysis about China for over a century and we see this micro-site not only as a platform to provide comprehensive Olympics coverage for our readers but also a gateway to this once in a life time event."

Designed by Euro RSCG 4D Hong Kong, the new SCMP Olympic micro-site is available for free public access with first-hand information about this China’s event of the century.

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About South China Morning Post

The South China Morning Post is Hong Kong’s premier English language newspaper and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. First published in 1903, the newspaper has developed an enviable reputation for authoritative, influential and independent reporting on Hong Kong, China and the rest of Asia. Its online platform, scmp.com, reaches a global audience of China watchers with daily breaking news, multimedia articles and interactive forums. Striving to maintain the highest standards among the world’s quality newspapers, the South China Morning Post receives constant international recognition. It received 51 awards in 2008 for excellence in editorial, marketing and technical capability.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Lydia Lee / Joyce Chan
Marketing & Communications
Tel: (852) 2250 3120 / 2250 3115
Fax: (852) 2565 2429
Email: [email protected]

SCMP Group Limited reports another solid year of growth

HONG KONG, March 31, 2008 – SCMP Group Limited (SEHK: 583) ("the Group") reported a record year with net profit of $548.1 million and recurring operating profit of $397.7 million for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, the highest level in the past 7 years. Group businesses benefited from strong economic growth in Hong Kong, the mainland and Macau. Also, a single-minded focus on strengthening the core publishing business and managing costs over the last few years has enabled the Group to take full advantage of the buoyant economy to deliver this year’s strong performance.

"Although the market environment was challenging in 2007," says Kuok Hui Kwong, Executive Director of SCMP Group Limited. "We managed to expand by revamping our major business websites and newspaper design. The positive response from readers and advertisers to these changes reinforced the SCMP brand."

Business Performance

Group revenue increased 3% to $1.25 billion, compared with $1.21 billion in 2006. Net profit attributable to shareholders reached $548.1 million, 62% higher than $338.6 million in 2006.

Newspaper publishing revenues grew 3% and accounted for 84% of Group revenue. Operating profit from principal activities rose 4% to $357.3 million. Boosted by strong consumer spending, a rising stock market and business expansion across most industries, display advertising revenue grew 10%, outperforming the 7% growth in newspaper ad spending in Hong Kong (source: Admango). Recruitment advertising revenue grew 7%, mainly driven by ad volume growth. The recruitment market for junior to middle levels has been very active this year, driving up Jiu Jik and online recruitment advertising revenues by 27% and 35%, respectively. Online advertising revenue rose 79%.

Despite a growth of 7% in the first half, results announcements and other corporate notices revenue dropped 60% following the abolition of mandatory newspaper announcements in the second half of the year. IPO advertising remained strong in 2007 with the Group’s market share increasing from 87% in 2006 to 94% in 2007 and advertising volume was 7% lower than 2006.

The circulation of South China Morning Post and Sunday Morning Post showed a moderate increase of 2% and 1% respectively, with growth in subscriptions, hotel sales and China market most noticeable.

Operating profit at the magazine publishing division rose 30% on revenue growth of 6%. Cosmopolitan and Harper’s Bazaar continued to lead the market despite intense competition for advertising dollars and circulation sales. Operating results of the video film business improved following a restructuring and suspension of operations in Guangzhou. Provisions for asset impairment were made in book publishing resulting in a net loss position. Part of the book publishing operation was suspended in early 2008.

Operating costs before depreciation and amortization increased 3%. Staff costs rose 4% while average newsprint cost rose 1% from US$613 per metric ton in 2006 to US$616 in 2007. Rent and utilities were up 20% or $7.2 million, reflecting the full year impact of the renewal of the office space lease in November 2006.

Outlook

The Group expects 2008 to be a year with both challenges and opportunities. The sub prime crisis, concerns about an economic recession in the US and its potential impact on the world economy and volatility in the financial markets all give rise to a cautiously optimistic outlook for the year.

The full year impact of the listing rule change and the trend towards eIPO will put pressure on notices advertising revenue in 2008. In view of these changes, the Group plans to increase its online revenues by enhancing its investor relations website SCMPIR.com to drive more page views and advertisers. The Group also seeks to attract more companies’ brand and investor relations advertising by creating more relevant content within the business pages of the newspaper.

"We are glad to have maintained solid revenue and profitability levels in an intensely competitive climate," concludes Kuok. "We expect this trend to continue into the foreseeable future as we continuously adapt to new challenges, just as we have done for many decades."

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About SCMP Group Limited

SCMP Group Limited (SEHK: 583) is a leading newspaper and magazine publisher in Asia. Its flagship publication, South China Morning Post, is the leading English language newspaper in Hong Kong and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. Other publication titles of the group include the Sunday Morning Post, the Chinese editions of Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, CosmoGirl! and Automobile magazines.

To learn more about the SCMP Group, go to scmpgroup.com.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Lydia Lee / Joyce Chan
Marketing & Communications
Tel: (852) 2250 3120 / 2250 3115
Fax: (852) 2565 2429
Email: [email protected]
For investor inquiries, please contact:

Perry Wu
Investor Relations
Tel: (852) 2565 2380
Fax: (852) 2838 7525
Email: [email protected]

SCMP Group Strengthens Executive Bench With Key Hires

Hong Kong, October 5, 2009 – The SCMP Group, publisher of the South China Morning Post, has recently made several key hires of top executives to lead the Group’s ongoing efforts to drive strategic growth.

Reporting directly to Ms. Kuok Hui Kwong, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SCMP Group, the new appointments signal a strong commitment to applying top talent to drive SCMP Group business in Hong Kong and internationally.

"Strong executive leadership is an essential foundation as we continue building a leading media company." said Ms. Kuok. "We now have a very strong team to help best take advantage of the many opportunities presented in the dynamic media industry."

The following appointments are effective immediately:

Mr. Eric Levin
Chief Financial Officer
Eric Levin is responsible for managing all corporate financials for SCMP Group, in addition to providing executive leadership for information technology, corporate administration and content resources functions. Prior to this appointment, Levin was the CEO and founder of City On Demand, a media company that operates local cable channels and internet video sites in the United States. He previously held senior management roles including CFO at Home Box Office in the US. Levin replaces Ponch Poon who decided to leave the company to pursue other career interests.

Mrs. Dora Poon
Director, Human Resources
Dora Poon is responsible for the full spectrum of human resources functions including staff, compensation and benefits, training and development, performance management and employee relations. Poon was formerly Group Human Resources Director at various businesses of the Hutchison Whampoa Group including corporate headquarters, retail, hotel, telecommunications, and manufacturing.

Ms. Huijin Kong
Director, Corporate Development
In this newly created position, Huijin Kong is responsible for shaping and executing cross-business and cross-functional efforts to support the SCMP Group’s growth and transformation. Kong was formerly with McKinsey & Company in the United States and China. She served leading financial institutions in the US, PRC, and India on strategy, organizational change, and leadership development.

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About South China Morning Post

SCMP Group Limited (SEHK: 583) is a leading newspaper and magazine publishers in Asia. Its flagship publication, South China Morning Post is Hong Kong’s premier English language newspaper and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. First published in 1903, the newspaper has developed an enviable reputation for authoritative, influential and independent reporting on Hong Kong, China and the rest of Asia. Its online platform, scmp.com, reaches a global audience of China watchers with daily breaking news, multimedia articles and interactive forums. Striving to maintain the highest standards among the world’s quality newspapers, the South China Morning Post receives constant international recognition. It received 46 awards in 2008 for excellence in editorial, marketing and technical capability. Most recently, the South China Morning Post received 12 awards at the 2009 Society for Publisher’s in Asia (SOPA) editorial excellence awards, more than any other media company. Other publication titles of the Group include the Sunday Morning Post, the Chinese editions of Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar and CosmoGirl! magazines.

For media enquiry, please contact:

Earl Lui
Manager, Brand Marketing
Tel: (852) 2680 8121
Fax: (852) 2680 8158
Email: [email protected]

REG CHUA APPOINTED EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AT SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST Senior hires made after resignation of veteran editor C.K. Lau New Managing Editor David Lague to join Chua and top editorial team

Hong Kong, July 2, 2009 – The South China Morning Post has appointed Reg Chua as Editor-In-Chief. Chua has strong Asia journalism and news media management experience and most recently was a senior editor at the Wall Street Journal in New York. The appointment was made after the resignation of SCMP’s editor C.K. Lau who is leaving to pursue personal interests after a long and distinguished career with the century-old title.

"During his tenure at the Post, C.K. has played a key role in strengthening and improving our editorial operations," said Kuok Hui Kwong, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of South China Morning Post Publishers Limited. "A committed and well-respected professional, he has contributed significantly to the Post and to the overall media community in Hong Kong."

Chua, 48, was most recently a deputy managing editor at The Wall Street Journal based in New York, where he led development of the Journal‘s computer-assisted reporting capabilities and oversaw the paper’s graphics.

"I’m very pleased to be joining the South China Morning Post and to becoming part of a storied newspaper with a long and proud tradition of high-quality journalism as it builds on its unique position as witness and chronicler of China’s rise on the world stage and Hong Kong’s role in it," said Chua. "I look forward to working with the Post‘s newsroom to cover an important story, build stronger ties with our readers in Hong Kong and attract new ones, wherever they are, who have an interest in China."

Prior to moving to New York, Reg was the longest-serving editor of the Journal’s Hong Kong-based Asian edition, where he steered the paper’s award-winning coverage of the 1997-98 financial crisis, China’s economic development, the rising threat of terrorism in the region, SARS, and the aftermath of the Boxing Day tsunami.

"We wanted someone with knowledge of Hong Kong and the region as well as strong journalism and management credentials," said Kuok. "We found that in Reg and are confident and excited about his joining our team."

Further strengthening the Post‘s editorial team, David Lague has been appointed as Managing Editor, reporting to Chua. As a member of the editorial senior management team, Lague will be involved in daily newsroom operations, oversee quality and standards, training and special projects. Lague was a news and features writer with the South China Morning Post in 1987-88, and has served as a reporter and editor in the Asia-Pacific region for more than two decades. He has held roles with the International Herald Tribune and the New York Times, and was managing editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review. Lague also was the China correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian.

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About South China Morning Post

The South China Morning Post is Hong Kong’s premier English language newspaper and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. First published in 1903, the newspaper has developed an enviable reputation for authoritative, influential and independent reporting on Hong Kong, China and the rest of Asia. Its online platform, SCMP.com, reaches a global audience of China watchers with daily breaking news, multimedia articles and interactive forums. Striving to maintain the highest standards among the world’s quality newspapers, the South China Morning Post receives constant international recognition. It has won 39 awards in 2006 for excellence in editorial, marketing and technical capability.

About SOPA

The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) was founded in 1982. It represents the interests of many notable international, regional and local newspaper, magazine and digital publishers as well as related industry partners in Asia. SOPA is dedicated to best practices in professional publishing and committed to responsible journalism. Visit SOPA website at www.sopasia.com.

For media enquiry, please contact:

Michael McComb
Director, Marketing & Communications
Tel: (852) 2680 8163
Fax: (852) 2680 8158
Email: [email protected]

South China Morning Post Honored with 12 Awards in the Society of Publishers in Asia Editorial Awards

Hong Kong, June 12, 2009 – The South China Morning Post and the Sunday Morning Post cemented their reputation once again for newspaper excellence by scooping twelve awards, including the Journalist of the Year Award – English language, in the 2009 Society of Publishers in Asia Awards for Editorial Excellence.

With a track record of breaking exclusive and insightful stories with the Post, Greg Torode was named the local English language journalist of the year. He has also won the Scoop Award with his articles on an oil controversy involving China, Vietnam and oil giant ExxonMobil.

The panel of judges praised Torode’s "strong regional coverage" and his articles for being "authoritative and wide-ranging".

Honorable mentions came in the environmental reporting category, for Shi Jingtao’s expose on the human and environmental costs of the extensive construction of river dams in China and in the digital journalism category for a piece by the news and multimedia team on the controversy over the use of Hong Kong public spaces.

Commenting on the outstanding achievements, Editor C.K. Lau said the overall results were a credit to the SCMP team. "They reflect the hard work and professionalism of our staff. We will do our best to maintain high standard s for our readers." said Lau.

Established in 1999 as a tribute to editorial excellence in both traditional and new media, the Society of Publishers in Asia Awards was designed to honor excellence and to encourage editorial vitality throughout the region.

List of the 12 awards won by South China Morning Post
1 Award of Excellence – Investigative Reporting
2 Honorable Mention – Human Rights Reporting
3 Honorable Mention – Reporting on the Environment
4 Award of Excellence – Excellence in Feature Writing
5 Award of Excellence – Excellence in Opinion Writing
6 Honorable Mention – Excellence in News Photography
7 Award of Excellence – Excellence in Special Issue or Special Section (Beijing Olympics)
8 Award of Excellence – Excellence in Information Graphics
9 Award of Excellence – Excellence in Newspaper Design
10 Honorable Mention – Excellence in Digital Journalism
11 Award of Excellence – The Scoop Award (Mr Greg Torode)
12 Award of Excellence – Journalist of the Year (Mr Greg Torode)


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About South China Morning Post

The South China Morning Post is Hong Kong’s premier English language newspaper and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. First published in 1903, the newspaper has developed an enviable reputation for authoritative, influential and independent reporting on Hong Kong, China and the rest of Asia. Its online platform, SCMP.com, reaches a global audience of China watchers with daily breaking news, multimedia articles and interactive forums. Striving to maintain the highest standards among the world’s quality newspapers, the South China Morning Post receives constant international recognition. It has won 39 awards in 2006 for excellence in editorial, marketing and technical capability.

About SOPA

The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) was founded in 1982. It represents the interests of many notable international, regional and local newspaper, magazine and digital publishers as well as related industry partners in Asia. SOPA is dedicated to best practices in professional publishing and committed to responsible journalism. Visit SOPA website at www.sopasia.com.

For media enquiry, please contact:

Polly Leong
Marketing & Communications
Tel: (852) 2680 8888
Fax: (852) 2680 8158
Email: [email protected]

Classified Post / Hewitt Best Employers in Hong Kong 2009 Conference Staying Strong: How Best Employers Manage in a Downturn

Hong Kong, May 5, 2009 – Classified Post and leading international HR consultancy Hewitt Associates joined hands for the fifth time to present the Best Employers in Hong Kong Conference at the Hong Kong Grand Hyatt hotel today.

Representatives from some of the six best employers in Hong Kong – Convoy Financial Services Limited, JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, Renaissance Harbour View Hotel Hong Kong, Pret A Manger (HK) Limited, American Express International, Inc. and Federal Express (Hong Kong) Limited shared their views on staff engagement and employee communication in managing the economic downturn at the event, which attracted over 150 senior HR management executives from some of the top enterprises in the region.

Speaking at the conference, HKSAR’s Secretary for Labour and Welfare Department Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, GBS, JP, shared the latest statistics of Hong Kong’s labour market scene. "The rapid deterioration in the business landscape has, as expected, led to a quick rise in the local unemployment rate," said Mr. Cheung. "The latest figure edged up to 5.3% from a 10-year low of 3.2% in mid-2008." Mr. Cheung stressed that enterprises should promote communication and co-operation amongst staff through "empathy", with the objective of building a quality team. Caring employers should show "care" in identifying the needs of employees and their families and provide them with a worry-free work environment. It is also crucial to listen to employees’ views with "patience" and proactively transform them into effective measures.

With views canvassed from more than 46,000 employees of close to 40 organisations in Hong Kong, the Hewitt Best Employers in Hong Kong study is the largest and most comprehensive employee-based study ever conducted in the region.

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About the South China Morning Post

The South China Morning Post is Hong Kong’s premier English language newspaper and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. First published in 1903, the newspaper has developed an enviable reputation for authoritative, influential and independent reporting on Hong Kong, China and the rest of Asia. Its online platform, scmp.com, reaches a global audience of China watchers with daily breaking news, multimedia articles and interactive forums. Striving to maintain the highest standards among the world’s quality newspapers, the South China Morning Post receives constant international recognition. It received 46 awards in 2008 for excellence in editorial, marketing and technical capability.

About Hewitt Associates

Hewitt Associates (NYSE: HEW) provides leading organisations around the world with expert human resources consulting and outsourcing solutions to help them anticipate and solve their most complex benefits, talent, and related financial challenges. Hewitt consults with companies to design and implement a wide range of human resources, retirement, investment management, health management, compensation, and talent management strategies. As a leading outsourcing provider, Hewitt administers health care, retirement, payroll, and other HR programmes to millions of employees, their families, and retirees. With a history of exceptional client service since 1940, Hewitt has offices in 33 countries and employs approximately 23,000 associates who are helping make the world a better place to work.

For more information please visit www.hewittasia.com

For media enquiry, please contact:

Joyce Chan
Marketing & Communications
Tel: (852) 2250 3115
Fax: (852) 2565 2429
Email: [email protected]

South China Morning Post unveils new look for education section

Hong Kong, April 24, 2009 – The South China Morning Post today unveiled a new look for its weekly education section with an aim to engage teachers and parents and provide a broader appeal to educators, especially in local schools, while continuing to report on the international school sector, tertiary and higher education and major research and reform issues.

Changing from broadsheet to tabloid format, the section is now easier to handle and negotiate, while the move of publication day from Saturday to Friday enables principals, teachers and other educators to pick up the section free with the South China Morning Post while they are still in school, university or the office.

The revamped section carries a bright new look with fresh columns and a more in-depth editorial read, presenting an analysis of the stories and issues reported in the daily paper and elsewhere throughout the week. The first guest column kicks off with education expert and Unesco consultant Brendan O’Malley¡¦s six-week series on Schools Of The Future. The section also includes a global look at where education is heading and a comparative study of higher education in Asia, Europe and the United States.

Other occasional features include Mainland Focus – keeping local readers up to speed with the fast-paced change in education across the border¡- and Research Digest, which highlights the best research in Hong Kong, on the mainland and elsewhere. Current favourite columns, such as School Days, The List, Class Notes and Global View, will stay in place.

Another development is the addition of a classified-style teaching recruitment advertisements section, called Recruitment Forum, which provides a place for employers and teachers to meet and an opportunity to provide the education sector with the expertise it needs to develop. It is expected to become a sought-after marketplace for the best talent in the English-speaking education world.

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About the South China Morning Post

The South China Morning Post is Hong Kong’s premier English language newspaper and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. First published in 1903, the newspaper has developed an enviable reputation for authoritative, influential and independent reporting on Hong Kong, China and the rest of Asia. Its online platform, scmp.com, reaches a global audience of China watchers with daily breaking news, multimedia articles and interactive forums. Striving to maintain the highest standards among the world’s quality newspapers, the South China Morning Post receives constant international recognition. It received 46 awards in 2008 for excellence in editorial, marketing and technical capability.

For media enquiry, please contact:

Joyce Chan
Marketing & Communications
Tel: (852) 2250 3115
Email: [email protected]

SCMP Launches Homes for Hope Programme To Help Earthquake Victims In Sichuan

Hong Kong, March 19, 2009 – The South China Morning Post announced the launch of SCMP Homes for Hope, a charitable giving project, to help rebuild homes and lives for the victims devastated by the Sichuan earthquake last year. An official launch ceremony was held at the Island Shangri-La Hotel today to kick off a series of fundraising initiatives. Many of the city’s philanthropists and corporate patrons attended the launch event in support of this meaningful cause.

Through a range of charity activities, the project aims to raise more than 15 million yuan (US$1.85 million) to rebuild nearly 1,000 homes for over 2,400 people and provide essential services for two of the hardest hit villages. The first is Qingquan (清泉村) in Mianzhu (綿竹) near Chengdu, and the other is the Tibetan village of Majiaxiang (馬家鄉) in the scenic area of Jiuzhaigou (九寨溝). The programme will engage residents in the rebuilding effort, giving them a sense of hope and pride in the process.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. David Pang, Chairman of SCMP Group, said: "As a leading media organization, we have taken the responsibility to leverage our communications platform, resources and relationships to the greatest extent possible for this worthy cause. We will focus on inspiring support of our readers, partners, corporate organizations and the general public. We will also be telling the ongoing story of the fund raising and rebuilding progress in our newspaper, website and other channels."

In late 2008, Operation Santa Claus, a 21-year-old charity co-organised by Radio Television Hong Kong and the South China Morning Post, raised HK$3 million for the project. Sharing the same vision of a better tomorrow for the victims in Sichuan, the Hong Kong Government announced the funding support of HKD 10 million from the Trust Fund in Support of Reconstruction in the Sichuan Earthquake Stricken Areas at the launch event.

A fundraising auction dinner will be held on May 12, the one-year anniversary of the earthquake, with The Honourable Mr. Donald Tsang, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, and senior officials from the central government’s Hong Kong & Macau Affairs Office as guests of honor. CoCo Lee, one of the most acclaimed and sought after Asian singers, will provide entertainment at the charitable event.

In the coming months, SCMP Homes for Hope will be working closely with various dedicated business leaders through a range of exciting and effective fundraising activities. Supporting partners include Aedas, Art HK, Comic Relief, Island Shangri-La Hotel, Pacific Coffee, RTHK, Sino Land and Sotheby’s.

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About the South China Morning Post

The South China Morning Post is Hong Kong’s premier English language newspaper and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. First published in 1903, the newspaper has developed an enviable reputation for authoritative, influential and independent reporting on Hong Kong, China and the rest of Asia. Its online platform, scmp.com, reaches a global audience of China watchers with daily breaking news, multimedia articles and interactive forums. Striving to maintain the highest standards among the world’s quality newspapers, the South China Morning Post receives constant international recognition. It received 46 awards in 2008 for excellence in editorial, marketing and technical capability.

For media enquiry, please contact:

Vivian Chun
South China Morning Post
Tel: (852) 2250 3114
Email: [email protected]

Amy Chan/Kathleen Lui
Dynamic Network Alliances Ltd
Tel: (852) 2849 3328
Email: [email protected]/ [email protected]

South China Morning Scoops Four Awards in the Best of Newspaper Design Creative Competition

Hong Kong, February 26, 2009 – The South China Morning Post scooped 4 awards in the 30th annual Best of Newspaper Design Creative Competition organised by the Society for News Design.

The awards, announced on February 19 2009, saw the SCMP take the award of excellence in three categories, including "Special News Topics" on the Beijing Olympics opening and closing, "Special Coverage, Multiple Sections" on the Olympics scene-setter supplements and two top photography prizes which are "Obama as Muse" and "Wrongs to Right – UN human rights declaration".

Editor of the South China Morning Post, C.K. Lau said the paper was delighted to have won such prestigious awards. "In recent years, the SCMP has become a more visually driven paper, for good reason. Images are as important as text in informing our readers. Our artists, designers and photographers play a critical role in ensuring our pages grasp readers" attention and information is presented in the most accessible manner," said Lau.

About the South China Morning Post

The South China Morning Post is Hong Kong’s premier English language newspaper and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. First published in 1903, the newspaper has developed an enviable reputation for authoritative, influential and independent reporting on Hong Kong, China and the rest of Asia. Its online platform, scmp.com, reaches a global audience of China watchers with daily breaking news, multimedia articles and interactive forums. Striving to maintain the highest standards among the world’s quality newspapers, the South China Morning Post receives constant international recognition. It received 46 awards in 2008 for excellence in editorial, marketing and technical capability.

About the Society For News Design

Founded in 1979, the Society for News Design is an international professional organisation with a mission to enhance communication around the world through excellence in visual journalism. Regarded as the toughest and most prestigious in the newspaper world, the competition attracted almost 11,000 entries from 346 newspapers around the globe this year and honoured design, graphics and photography.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Joyce Chan
Marketing & Communications
Tel: (852) 2250 3115
Fax: (852) 2565 2429
Email: [email protected]

South China Morning Post Appoints Digital Business Director

Hong Kong, February 12, 2009 – The SCMP Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Ross Settles as Director of Digital Business for the South China Morning Post with immediate effect. Ross will be responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership to the Group’s digital business.

Ross brings nearly two decades of media experience working in strategy, marketing and product development for leaders in the newspaper and online industry, including the Los Angeles Times, The Baltimore Sun, The San Jose Mercury News, as well as Yahoo! among many others. He also held senior positions in a number of companies including Knight Ridder Digital, Red Herring and Times Mirror before managing his own digital consultancy business in the US since 2006.

With an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and an AB from Princeton University, Ross has extensive exposure in China by both working and studying in the region.

About the South China Morning Post

The South China Morning Post is Hong Kong’s premier English language newspaper and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. First published in 1903, the newspaper has developed an enviable reputation for authoritative, influential and independent reporting on Hong Kong, China and the rest of Asia. Its online platform, scmp.com, reaches a global audience of China watchers with daily breaking news, multimedia articles and interactive forums. Striving to maintain the highest standards among the world’s quality newspapers, the South China Morning Post receives constant international recognition. It received 46 awards in 2008 for excellence in editorial, marketing and technical capability.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Joyce Chan
Marketing & Communications
Tel: (852) 2250 3115
Fax: (852) 2565 2429
Email: [email protected]