The Straits Times’ coverage of January’s Tokyo plane crash contributed to one of the Singapore paper’s four Asian Media Awards.
The paper’s publisher, SPH Media, won two gold awards – one for its Tokyo front page – and two silvers, while Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post clinched three golds and one silver.
This year’s Asian Media Awards, organised by WAN-Ifra, were presented at a celebration cocktail reception at the city’s Mount Faber Peak, as part of the Asian Media Leaders Summit.
The highly-competitive event saw 251 entries from 42 media organisations across 13 countries. Another standout was Kumparan, which took four awards, making it the top winner in the small and medium category, restricted to publishers with annual revenues of less than US$10 million (A$15.2 million).
First-time winners included the Korea Economic Daily and Nhan Dan newspaper, both making their debut in the awards.
Results:
Best newspaper front page design: gold– Tokyo airport runway collision by SPH Media The Straits Times; silver–Bersama Pastikan Perubahan by Media Indonesia; small/medium media – Why Riyadh? Saudi Arabia's Expo 2030 bid by Arab News.
Best in magazine cover design: gold– Tatler Singapore July 2023 cover by Tatler; silver– YiMagazine, How can we deal with low fertility? by Yicai Media Group; small/medium media– Asian Scientist Magazine, Too Hot to Work by Wildtype Media Group.
Best in breaking news article: gold– Making sense of the electoral bonds data by The Hindu; silver– Malaysia’s anti-corruption campaign by Mediacorp; small/medium media– Bandung Raya-Turangga Train Collision in Cicalengka by kumparan.
Best in feature article: gold– Decarbonizing Indonesia: Silent, invisible danger on Cirebon coast by The Jakarta Post; silver– Kota’s crash course by The Hindu; small/medium media– Legacy, landscapes and lives: The tales of Nusantara by The Jakarta Post.
Best in healthcare reporting: gold– Suicide in the health care industry by The Japan Times; silver– India’s youngest living organ donor by The Week Malayala Manorama; small/medium media– Too Hot To Work by Wildtype Media Group.
Best in healthcare infographics: gold– Hong Kong’s hottest summer ever by South China Morning Post; silver– Ending Mortality Due to Rabies by Kompas Daily Newspaper.
Best newspaper infographics: gold– Uncovering Hong Kong’s secret land grab by South China Morning Post; silver– From Boy to Champion by SPH Media, The Straits Times; small/medium media– The Fast Track to Makkah by Arab News.
Best magazine infographics: gold– Society Series by 203; silver– Anatomy of a Disaster by Living Media India; small/medium media– Transnational Repression by Flow HK.
Best in news photography: gold– The blackest of nights in Hong Kong by South China Morning Post; silver– No barrier to faith by The Philippine Daily Inquirer; small/medium media category – The Great Money Heist by kumparan.
Best in feature photography: gold– A Symphony of Birdsong by Lianhe Zaobao SPH Media; silver– Singapore, in a different light by The Straits Times, SPH Media; small/medium media– Tiba Kembali di Ibu Kota by Media Indonesia.
Best in sport photography: gold– Riders avoid Spanish rider Manuel Gonzalez after he crashed by AFP; silver– A fierce fencing contest at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games by South China Morning Post.
Best in newspaper marketing: gold– The Interactive Panorama of Dien Bien Phu Victory Edition by Nhan Dan Newspaper; silver– i-next Healthon by Dainik Jagran-inext.
Best in community service: gold– i-next Choose to Refuse by Dainik Jagran-inext; silver– Code Red by Jagran Prakashan; small/medium media– Baliho Reborn by kumparan.
Best revenue diversification project: gold– The Art of India 2024 by Bennett Coleman & Co; silver– ARTE project by The Korea Economic Daily; small/medium media category – kumparan Hangout by kumparan.
Pictured: The Straits Times’ coverage of the Japan Airlines' A350 on fire at Haneda international airport in January