18 April 2024

The School of Communication (SCOM) of The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) held the 8th Business Journalism Awards Presentation Ceremony on 18 April 2024 to recognise outstanding journalists in business news, and their contributions to society and the industry. The ceremony was officiated by Professor Frederick Ma Shi-hang, former Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development and current Chairman of FWD Group.

With over 30 awards for business journalists, the Awards were divided into nine categories and covered various fields of business and financial news, including the newly added “Business ‘Environment, Social, and Governance’ News” Award. The winning entries were selected by 60 professional judges across different fields based on news value and impact, originality and exclusivity, reportorial quality, storytelling and writing skills, analytical value and visual impact.

The award-winning organisations include: TVB, Now TV, i-CABLE News, Radio Television Hong Kong, HK01, South China Morning Post, Bloomberg Businessweek (Chinese Edition), Hong Kong Economic Journal Monthly, Ming Pao, Ta Kung Pao, Dot Dot News, China Daily Hong Kong, Hong Kong Commercial Daily, and WuChatProp. 

The “Young Business Reporter of the Year” was awarded to Gary Wong of Ming Pao, and the “Business Reporter of the Year” was awarded to Lee Chun-kit of Hong Kong Economic Journal Monthly.

Other awards include “Best Business News Reporting”, “Best Business News Series Reporting”, “Best Property Market News Reporting”, “Business ‘Environment, Social, and Governance’ News”, “Best Economic & Financial Policy News Reporting”, “Best Business Technology News Reporting”, and “Best Greater Bay Area Business News Reporting”.

In his address, Professor Frederick Ma highlighted the nature of journalism, noting the importance of integrity and professionalism. Professor Ma also expressed his gratitude to journalists for their dedication to seeking the truth, and persisting in their commitment to public interest by providing quality news coverage.

Dr the Hon Moses Cheng, Chairman of the Council of HSUHK, emphasised the importance of business news in understanding the business world, driving economic development and social progress. He also recognised the prevalent chaos in today’s world, emphasising the vital need to uphold the core principles of journalism and pursue truth. He asserted, “It is through this commitment that we can fulfil our duty of safeguarding truth in society, offering the public accurate information, and fostering societal growth and progress.”

Professor Simon S M Ho, President of HSUHK, praised the awardees for their professional excellence in providing diverse business news to the society. He stated, “Despite the world gradually returns to normalcy post-pandemic, Hong Kong’s economic development falls short of expectations. The government and various sectors are actively exploring pathways to promote economic growth. The media plays a crucial role in enhancing public awareness and critical thinking towards policies, and I hope that journalists will continue to publish news from diverse perspectives to stimulate new ideas and vitality for economic progress.”

Professor Scarlet Tso Hung, Dean of SCOM at HSUHK, noted the record number of over 500 entries for this year’s awards, reflecting industry recognition and support for business news.

She emphasised the need for talent with diverse skills and keen journalistic instincts to tackle the challenges within the news industry. The School remains committed to nurturing innovative and skilled journalists by continually enhancing its curriculum to adapt to the evolving news landscape.

To further cultivate communication talent, Professor Tso announced the launch of a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Arts and Culture Communication programme in September this year. She said “Through training in journalism and communication, this programme aims to nurture professionals with artistic and cultural literacy as well as skills in business promotion. I believe this programme will inject new energy into the journalism and media industry. She congratulated all the winners and expressed gratitude for the continuous support from various sectors, contributing to the excellence of the Business Journalism Awards.