SOPA announces winners for 2023 journalism awards, Newslaundry among finalists

Recognising the best journalistic works over the past year in the Asia-Pacific region, the Society of Publishers in Asia yesterday announced the winners of its annual awards across 20 categories. The Hong Kong-based not-for-profit organisation awarded 98 journalists and media outlets for their reportage on the key issues of the region in a ceremony on Thursday.

Some of these exceptional works of journalism included news coverage on Myanmar, Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, the Covid pandemic, and protests in Hong Kong. More than 750 English and Chinese-language entries competed in the 20 categories this year. 

In the “Excellence in Reporting on Women’s Issues” category, Newslaundry was a finalist in the regional/local subcategory. The report by Nidhi Suresh detailed how a son helped the police nab his mother’s rapists 30 years later. Read it here. 

The award for excellence in the same category was won by the World of Chinese for its report on “consent culture” in China, while Scroll earned an honourable mention for a report on Kashmir’s half-widows. The global award for reporting on women’s issues was bagged by Nikkei Asia for a report on women breaking barriers across industries.

In the journalistic innovation category, Washington Post won the award for its report on the Seoul stampede. The Economist’s podcast series The Prince, on Chinese president Xi Jinping, won in the audio reporting category. For excellence in video reporting, Insider News won for its report on miners risking their lives to get sulphur from an active volcano. Meanwhile, Reuters’ report on the Myanmar army’s battle on Rohingyas won the award for human rights reporting.

The other categories ranged from photography to business and public service journalism.