The prize was awarded to Young Post for their Press Freedom Awareness project, which ran in the paper during the first week of May to coincide with World Press Freedom Day on May 3. The project included specially tailored articles such as a double-page spread on the role of journalists, and a censored version of a regular column which demonstrated the importance of a free press.
The WAN-IFRA judges remarked: “This was a bold idea to raise an issue of censorship in China-governed Hong Kong, and we hope it helps to raise awareness among the young in case of any future changes in politics and law in Hong Kong.”
Young Post is Hong Kong’s leading newspaper for the secondary school student, reaching over 85% of secondary schools, and providing educational support and entertainment for students since 1985. Exclusively available through schools with a subscription to the South China Morning Post, Young Post is the most respected and beloved newspaper for upper secondary school students.
The World Young Reader prize honours excellence in newspaper engagement of the young. The basic categories are Editorial, Making the News, Newspapers in Education (NIE), Public Service, Brand and Enduring Excellence. The jury also names a World Young Reader Newspaper of the Year and establishes special categories.
Editor of Young Post, Susan Ramsay, remarked “We’re absolutely thrilled that our passion for news and our dedication to young people in Hong Kong has been recognised with this international award. We could not have done it without the great support from our Junior Reporters, our readers and the teachers who use us daily in their classrooms. With their help we were able to spread the important message of press freedom to a new generation of news consumers.”
The prize will be formally awarded during the WAN-IRFA Youth Engagement Summit set for December 2-4 in Warsaw, Poland.
About SCMP Group Ltd and South China Morning Post
SCMP Group Limited (SEHK: 583) is a leading newspaper and magazine publisher in Asia. Its flagship publication, South China Morning Post, is Hong Kong’s internationally recognised 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. Available in print, iPad™ and online through scmp.com and e-reader editions, South China Morning Post reaches a global audience with daily breaking news, analysis and opinion, multimedia articles and interactive forums. The South China Morning Post received 64 awards in 2012 for excellence in editorial, marketing and technical capability. Other titles in the Group include the Sunday Morning Post, the Chinese editions of Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE and CosmoGirl!, HK Magazine, The List, Where Hong Kong, and Where Chinese玩儿.
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The SCMP Tablet Edition is also designed to provide advertisers with a range of new and highly visual advertising formats, and being HTML5, is content-searchable and downloadable with an internet connection, providing instantaneous news updates.
Mr Yen remarked “I pledge to be an Ambassador for Celebrating Hong Kong, and the Spirit of Hong Kong awards, because I believe we can all find it in ourselves to repay the city we love. Hong Kong is our home; my kids school here, my wife and I love living here and there’s nowhere in the world like it. By recognising the everyday heroes in our community, I hope people will be inspired to do more positive things for Hong Kong.”
The Spirit of Hong Kong Awards, sponsored by Sino Group, seeks to give recognition to ordinary Hong Kong people who have done extraordinary things. Through actions which demonstrate great integrity, inspiration or which have a positive impact on others in the community, these individuals or groups of individuals exemplify the very best of the Hong Kong spirit.
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The ceremony, which was live-broadcasted on RTHK’s Radio 3, was attended by many of Hong Kong’s well known names, from Cardinal Zen, who made an opening address, to Allan Zeman, Sir David Akers Jones, Rosemary Vandenbroucke, Lisa S, Nissa Marion, and Regina Leung, OSC Patron and the wife of Hong Kong Chief executive, Leung Chun-ying.
Two China environmental issue stories penned by reporter Shi Jiangtao inspired the judges to present the award of Excellence, one for the article “Sold down the river” in the Feature Writing category and another for Shi’s two-part series “Toxic”, which probed one of the worst mainland cadmium contamination incidents in decades, which picked up the award in the Reporting on the Environment category.
“South China Morning Post is joining hands with the people of Hong Kong to raise awareness of and take pride in what’s great about our city and our people”, said Robin Hu, Chief Executive Officer of South China Morning Post. “From our city’s culture, heritage and rich traditions to its pillars of the community, “Celebrating Hong Kong” is our way of saying we love and believe in our city.”
