Editorial Awards
Overview
About the SOPA Awards for Editorial Excellence
The SOPA Awards for Editorial Excellence were established in 1999 as a tribute to editorial excellence in both traditional and new media, and were designed to encourage editorial vitality throughout the region. The awards cover a broad range of categories reflecting Asia’s diverse geo-political environment and vibrant editorial scene.
Central to the SOPA Awards’ ongoing success is the high caliber of international judges who preside over the award entries. The SOPA Awards have consistently secured judges from many of the region’s leading newspapers as well as consumer and trade magazines and academics from prestigious universities – a reflection of the stature of the awards. Judges ensure that entries are analyzed and selected according to a demanding set of criteria.
The SOPA Awards are coordinated by a committee of publishing professionals from the business and editorial sectors. These dedicated individuals volunteer their time throughout the year to ensure the awards’ rules, judges, entries; event, sponsorships and promotions all come together smoothly.
The SOPA Awards set a valuable benchmark for the industry, and have become news items in their own right, generating media coverage and attention not only across the Asia-Pacific region, but also on the global arena.
Corporate Support
Sponsorship is critical to ensuring the awards’ growth and over the past years, SOPA has been fortunate to receive the continuous support from Invest Hong Kong. As the awards have grown, so too has the interest from corporations, and in the past few years, event sponsors have also included the JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, Asia Media Journal, Getty Images, and the Swiss Post.
International Recognition
The SOPA Awards are supported by a number of international media organizations and regional media industry press; WAN-IFRA, International Federation of the Periodical Press (FIPP), the World Editors Forum (WEF), and fraternal industry associations around the region.
SOPA Editorial Awards Subcommittee
2012 Subcommittee Members
- Tom Leander (Chairman)
- Cliff Buddle
- Vivian Kwok
- Robyn Meredith
- Phil McClellan
- Brian Rhoads
- Demetri.Sevastopulo
- Rusty Todd (Head of Judges)
- L P Yau
2011 Subcommittee Members
- Peter Stein (Chairman)
- Zoher Abdoolcarim
- Pui-king Chan
- Reginald Chua
- Don Durfee
- Kin-ming Liu
- Philip McClellan
- Robyn Meredith
- Demetri Sevastopulo
- Doreen Weisenhaus (Head of Judges)
2010 Subcommittee Members
- Peter Stein (Chairman)
- Zoher Abdoolcarim
- Leonard M. Apcar
- Reginald Chua
- Don Durfee
- Kin-ming Liu
- Robyn Meredith
- Demetri Sevastopulo
- Rusty Todd
2009 Subcommittee Members
- Kevin Brown (Chairman)
- Zoher Abdoolcarim
- Leonard M. Apcar
- Cliff Buddle
- Adrian Dickson
- Don Durfee
- Kin-ming Liu
- Robyn Meredith
- Peter Stein
- Rusty Todd
Award Categories
Category A
English-language newspapers that circulate widely in three or more countries, English-language magazines with circulation greater than 50,000, English-language wire services and English-language websites with more than 5 million monthly uniques.
Category B
English-language newspapers that circulate primarily in one or two countries, English-language magazines with circulation under 50,000 and English-language websites with 5 million monthly uniques or below. Independent online publications in English.
Category C
Chinese-language publications, including Chinese-language websites and wire services. Independent online publications in Chinese.
- Excellence in Investigative Reporting
- Excellence in Reporting Breaking News
- Excellence in Business Reporting
- Excellence in Human Rights Reporting
- Excellence in Reporting on the Environment
- Excellence In Feature Writing
- Excellence in Opinion Writing
- Excellence in News Photography
- Excellence in Feature Photography
- Excellence in Special Coverage
- Excellence in Editorial Cartooning
- Excellence in Information Graphics
- Excellence in Newspaper Design
- Excellence in Magazine Design
- Excellence in Multimedia News Presentation
- The Scoop Award
- Journalist of the Year
Judging Process
Three-person panels are appointed to judge each category, comprising experienced journalists and former journalists from around the world. The judges assess and discuss the entries and decide on the winner. In the case of questions or a deadlock, they seek the assistance of the Director of Judges.
The judges and Director of Judges are chosen so as to ensure there are no conflicts of interest or potential conflicts of interest with the publications entering the category they are judging.
