Asia Media Awards 2009 bestowed
Aiming to promote the highest publishing standards in Asia and the Middle-East, honourably recognising publishing excellence in the fields of print quality, design, infographics, photography, online and cross media operations, WAN-IFRA, the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, bestowed the Asia Media Awards 2009 to the most deserving winners in fifteen categories.
With a total of 472 entries this year, the eighth edition of Asia Media Awards demonstrated the resilience of the Asian media industry that, even in the midst of the economic crisis, persists in pursuing publishing excellence. As part of its objective to encourage better journalism in print and online, WAN-IFRA constantly introduces new Asia Media Awards categories. The ‘Best in Cross Media Award’, honouring a newspaper’s ability to offer added value to its readers/users and advertisers through publishing or advertising on several media channels, is one of the most outstanding new features this year. Altogether, 43 awards including gold (15) silver (14) and bronze (14), were presented in a prestigious ceremony, held in conjunction with Publish Asia and IFRA Expo India 09 (Sep 23-25) in Chennai, India.
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Sublimest publishing distinctions
in Asia and the Middle-East receive
prestigious accolades from WAN-IFRA
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B
est in Print Quality Awards: In weekday circulation over 150k copies category, Sin Chew Daily (Sin Chew Media Corp BHD), Hindustan Times (HT Media Ltd) and Divya Bhaskar (DB Corp Ltd) have been bestowed gold, silver and bronze awards respectively; while in weekday circulation below 150k copies category, Mint (HT Media Ltd), Nanyang Siang Pau (Nanyang Press Holdings BHD) and Guang Ming Daily (Sin Chew Media Corp BHD) were honoured with gold, silver and bronze awards respectively. These awards are presented to newspapers deserving recognition for their excellence in standardised printing. The focus of the awards is to show the ability of newspapers to print consistently high quality in accordance with international standards (ISO 12647).
Best in Design Awards: In newspaper overall design category, South China Morning Post (South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd), The Business Times Weekend (Singapore Press Holdings Ltd) and Ming Pao (Ming Pao Newspapers Ltd); in magazine overall design category, Imagine (The Sesame Seed Creatives Inc), The Peak Singapore August 2008 (SPH Magazines Pte Ltd) and KEE Magazine (The Antithesis); and in newspaper front page design category, Republika Daily Newspaper (PT Republika Media Mandiri), Apple Daily News (Apple Daily Publication Development Ltd, Taiwan Branch) and Ming Pao (Ming Pao Newspapers Ltd) were conferred gold, silver and bronze awards respectively. While in magazine cover design category, there was no qualified winner for any award.
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Best in Infographics Awards: In newspaper infographics category, Emarat Al Youm (Awraq Publishing – Arab Media Group), Berita Harian/Berita Minggu (Singapore Press Holdings Ltd) and Gulf News (Al Nisr Publishing LLC) were given gold, silver and bronze awards respectively. These awards aim to recognise excellence in design, usefulness and clarity of information conveyed in both breaking news and non-breaking news in newspaper infographics.
Best in Special Coverage Awards: In newspaper special section category, Mint (HT Media Ltd), Ming Pao (Ming Pao Newspapers Ltd) and Gulf News (Al Nisr Publishing LLC) begged gold, silver and bronze awards respectively. In magazine special issue category, Eastweek (Memoir of Sichuan Earthquake Trauma) (Sing Tao Magazine Group Ltd) was presented gold award, while there were no qualified winners for silver and Bronze awards. These awards recognise newspaper’s special sections/magazine’s special issues that demonstrate high standards of content, originality to explore a topic or issue of significance, overall design and photography.
Best in Photojournalism Awards: In news photography category, Manoj Patil (HT Media Ltd), Bandeep Singh (Living Media India Ltd) and Felix Wong (South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd); in feature photography, Kunal Patil (HT Media Ltd), Kent Blechynden (The Dominion Post) and Himanshu Vyas (HT Media Ltd); and in sports photography, KY Cheng (South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd), Kent Blechynden (The Dominion Post) and Felix Wong (South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd) have been conferred gold, silver and bronze awards respectively. These awards recognise the photographer’s visual creativity (originality of perception and treatment), ability to expand knowledge or understanding of an issue through an effective use of the medium and technical skills.
Best in Online Media Awards: In newspaper website category, www.omy.sg (Singapore Press Holdings Ltd), www.razor.tv (Singapore Press Holdings Ltd) and www.ft.com (Financial Times); and in magazine website (new) category, www.divaasia.com (Singapore Press Holdings Ltd), www.ayahbunda.co.id (PT Aspirasi Pemuda) and www.hardwarezone.com (SPH Magazines Pte Ltd) won gold, silver and bronze awards respectively. These awards were presented to those publishers who have adopted digital media, beyond print, as part of their total product offer.
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Best in Cross Media Awards (new): In cross media editorial coverage category, www.omy.sg (Singapore Press Holdings Ltd), MY Paper (Singapore Press Holdings Ltd) and Phnom Penh Post (Post Media Co Ltd); and in cross media advertising category, The Sunday Times/Asiaone/Radio91.3FM ‘Unexpected Australia’ Campaign Paper (Singapore Press Holdings Ltd), www.omy.sg (Singapore Press Holdings Ltd) and Visa – Pizza Hut Campaign (Mid Day Multimedia Ltd) begged gold, silver and bronze awards respectively. Entries for these awards demonstrate an effective use of each media platform’s specificity as well as a coherent management of their complementarities for serving the readers and advertisers.
WAN-IFRA Asia Media Awards jury members included this year eight outstanding personalities from the print media industry belonging to: Germany, Japan, USA, Australia and France.
