不管時代巨輪如何在轉，科技發展何等神速，在新聞資訊太容易獲得的年代，嚴謹求真的信念，更值得反思。今天的新聞，明天的歷史，乃事實的真相。如衛報前總編輯Charles Prestwich Scott所認為，報紙的主要工作是準確的新聞報道，並謂“事實不可歪曲，意見大可自由”。無論傳媒生態怎樣改變，報紙作為主要的新聞媒體，必須堅守追求事實、承擔社會責任並推動社會進步。 

2018年度參賽的新聞作品水準甚高，新聞工作者在報業經營困難的環境下，仍努力維護新聞素質及堅守尊業操守的精神，充分展現在讀者面前。足證新聞有價，媒體對社會絶對有積極正面和不可代替的作用。今屆的作品題材，覆蓋範圍廣泛包括中國改革開放四十周年、國策繼續積極推動「一帶一路」、美朝破冰歷史性會面、英國陷入脫歐僵局、名人相繼離世。而本港房屋議題仍施政重點、填海造地更是長遠土地供應來源、多項重大基建落成並啟用、天災人禍釀成死傷、港鐵沙中線紅磡站月台鋼筋被剪短事件、環聯信貸保安漏洞爆發私隱災難等。

在此，我謹代表香港報業公會感謝社會各界支持，尤其是所有評審委員及各家贊助機構。衷心祝賀 2018年度最佳新聞獎的得獎者，更要感謝所有新聞界同業對專業的貢獻和付出。展望未來，香港報業公會定必繼續推動業界發展，提升業內的專業水準。最重要的是各界人士及機構對新聞業者和傳媒構機給予實際支持。

Keith Kam
Chairman, The Newspaper Society of Hong Kong

So unrelenting is the spinning of the wheel of times and so incredibly speedy is the technological advancement that news and information is too readily to acquire nowadays, making it an even more urgent need for us to reflect on the belief to seek truths in a vigorous manner. News today, hence history tomorrow, is the honest record of facts. As stated by Charles Prestwich Scott, former editor-in-chief of The Guardian, the primary office of a newspaper is the gathering of news, and “comment is free, but facts are sacred.” Whatever changes have taken place in the ecology of news media, the newspaper industry as the bellwether must be perseverant in the pursuit of truths, faithful to its social responsibility and promotive to social progress.

News pieces entered in the 2018 contest are of excellent quality in general. Confronted by a difficult environment for newspaper operation, journalists have been uncompromising in the quality of news and their professional ethics, as witnessed by the readers. This shows the proven value of news and the absolutely positive and indispensable roles of news media to the society. Entries this year cover a wide range of topics, including the 40^th anniversary of China’s reform and opening, the continuing state policy promoting “One Belt, One Road,” the unprecedented meeting between the U.S. and N. Korean leaders, the Brexit deadlock, and the successive passing away of celebrities. Other topics highlight housing problem remaining a major concern for the government, reclamation becoming a long-term source of land supply, a number of infrastructural projects completed and put into operation, casualties caused on occasions of natural and man-made disasters, steel bars supporting the Hung Hom Station platform along the MTR Shatin to Central Link being cut short, and the privacy disaster triggered by the TransUnion data breach.

On behalf of The Newspaper Society of Hong Kong, I hereby express my sincere gratitude to different sectors of the community for their support, especially all the adjudicators and sponsoring organizations. We extend our hearty congratulations to all the winners of Hong Kong News Awards 2018. We also have to thank everyone in the industry for their contribution and dedication to the profession. Looking ahead, the Newspaper Society of Hong Kong will continue to promote the advancement of the industry by striving to raise professional standards. Nevertheless is the practical support extended to journalists and news bodies by individuals and institutions from all walks of life.