Call for entries for SOPA 2016 Awards for Editorial Excellence

For the purposes of the awards, Asia-Pacific is defined to include the region of Afghanistan and the Central Asia republics, in addition to the Indian subcontinent, North and East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands.

The SOPA Awards highlight editorial excellence in both traditional and new media as well as emphasise the importance of freedom of the press. The awards are designed to honour and encourage editorial vitality and innovation throughout the region, and welcome entries from English and Chinese-language publications for Asian journalism.

The 2015 SOPA Awards received a record number of entries from across Asia Pacific competing in 18 categories among English and Chinese regional, local print or digital publications and wire services. To encourage wider participation, SOPA members who submit entries are eligible for a discount in the submission fee.

With the dramatic changes taking place in the media landscape, the news industry is heading towards a dynamic digital world with many traditional media firms shifting their core business on to the Internet and developing an extensive network around smart phones and digital devices.

Meanwhile, the core value of freedom of the press is facing an unprecedented challenge. “Entering SOPA’s 18th year, we are witnessing the challenges traditional media are facing with the transformation towards the digital world. While the quantity of information is expanding infinitely, defending freedom of the press remains to be one of the main concerns of the industry. SOPA is a guardian of free press in Asia Pacific, where fine journalism often fights against powerful forces that seek to suppress its voice. The SOPA Awards is the best forum to celebrate best reporting, writing, photographic and graphic design in publishing in Asia Pacific to gain deserved attention,” said Tom Leander, chairman of the SOPA Editorial Awards Committee.

The judging criteria for the award category ‘Journalist of the Year’ will remain the same as last year, in which entries from Group A, B and C will be combined for judging resulting in only one winner. Journalist of the Year is designed to honour the journalist who has best demonstrated excellence in editorial achievement.

The awards cover a broad range of categories reflecting Asia Pacific’s diverse geo-political environment and vibrant editorial scene.

The SOPA Awards’ judging panel includes journalists, designers and photo editors from the region’s leading newspapers, consumer and trade magazines, as well as notable academics from the journalism and media departments of prestigious universities. Judging for the 2016 Awards will be conducted by a team of more than 100 international judges stationed across the globe. The Journalism & Media Studies Centre at The University of Hong Kong has been the Awards Administrator since 2011.

Entries can be submitted from now until 4 pm 25 February 2016 at www.sopawards.com.

The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) was founded in 1982 to champion freedom of the press, promote excellence in journalism and endorse best practices for all local and regional publishing platforms in Asia Pacific. SOPA is a not-for-profit organisation based in Hong Kong, representing international, regional and local media companies across Asia.