2019年下半年以來，香港社會面對前所未遇的困局，逃犯條例修訂草案所引發的連串示威和暴力衝突，持續至今仍未平息。2020年初新冠肺炎疫情爆發，猶如雪上加霜，大大打擊本港、內地以至國際經濟。香港的零售、餐飲、航空、酒店及旅遊業受到嚴峻的考驗，不少業者被迫裁減人手、縮減店舖、暫時關閉，甚至倒閉。各行各業的困境直接影響它們在新聞媒體的廣告投放量，報業因而亦成了重災區。

成立廣告平台

猶幸報業近年來順應科技發展及讀者使用電子平台的習慣，不斷轉型創新，傳統報章成功發展網上版、視頻新聞、電子報、網上直播、webinar等，網上廣告和電子訂閲的收入不斷增加。可惜的是，傳統報章的網上廣告，受制於社交媒體及搜索平台的掠奪式經營手法，未能取得合理回報。爲了抵禦它們的壓榨，阻止它們蠶食報業的盈利和發展空間，本會成員報章正在積極推動成立聯合電子廣告銷售平台，結合大家的力量，取回業界應有的廣告收入。在這個銷售平台成立後，廣告商可以通過它直接在一家或多家報章投放網上廣告，更加準確地向目標讀者發放訊息；而受惠報章也能賺取他們應得的利潤，更好地服務讀者和照顧股東和員工的福祉。

堅守專業精神

在這個資訊泛濫的年代，人們很容易在互聯網上獲得大量資訊，但各種各樣的消息良莠不齊，真假難分，虛假消息有時更弄得人心惶惶。香港報業公會一向認爲，新聞媒體是能夠影響輿論和構建社會的公器，所以經營報業的人必須有強烈的社會責任感。傳統報章以擔當「守門人」的角色爲己任，投入大量資源，通過嚴謹的編采流程和核實功夫為讀者把關，去除雜亂誤導的訊息，提供優質的新聞和分析，滿足讀者的資訊需求。作為立足香港的傳統新聞媒體，香港報業公會的成員報章會堅守嚴謹求真的信念，為讀者提供具公信力及多元的內容，承擔社會責任，推動社會進步。

提升專業水準

一年一度舉辦香港新聞大獎，是香港報業公會的主要活動，旨在推動業界不斷提升新聞專業水準。新聞界同業在報業經營困難的環境下，仍努力維護新聞質素及堅守專業精神，將事實展現在讀者面前，對社會絶對有積極、正面和不可替代的作用。我謹代表香港報業公會感謝社會各界支持舉辦香港最佳新聞獎，尤其是所有評審委員及各家贊助機構。衷心祝賀本年度的得獎者，希望他們秉承新聞專業精神，繼續和其他同業攜手發掘更多的優質新聞，以饗讀者。謝謝。

Keith Kam
Chairman, The Newspaper Society of Hong Kong

Since mid-2019, Hong Kong has faced an unprecedented situation. Protests and violent conflicts sparked by a proposal to amend the law on fugitive offenders have buffeted the city. To make things worse, the coronavirus outbreak that started in early 2020 has precipitated a recession in not just Hong Kong and the mainland, but also around the world. Our retail, catering, aviation, hotel and tourism industries are all badly hit by this unexpected crisis. Many businesses have been forced to cut their staff, shrink or suspend their operations and even close down. The difficult business environment has led to a collapse in advertising spending that has severely battered the newspaper industry.

Setting up an advertising platform

Fortunately, the industry has broken new grounds in recent years in responding to technological developments and readers’ growing use of electronic platforms. Traditional newspapers have successfully developed web editions, video news, electronic versions, webcasts and webinars, and increased their revenues from electronic advertising and online subscription. Regrettably, they have been barred from obtaining a reasonable return from electronic advertising because of the predatory business practices of social media and search engine platforms. In order to safeguard the profitability and sustainability of newspapers, members of The Newspaper Society of Hong Kong have banded together to set up a joint electronic advertising platform to ensure they could obtain their rightful share of revenue. When the platform becomes operational, advertisers will be able to directly place their messages in one or more newspapers’ online versions, so that they can disseminate their messages to targeted readers precisely. At the same time, newspapers will benefit from obtaining a proper return from such advertising, so that they can better serve and reward their readers, shareholders and staff.

Abiding by professionalism

In this age of information overload, people can easily obtain a large amount of information on the internet. But what people get is often a mixed bag of rumours and questionable reports that are hard to verify. In some cases, false reports have sparked panics. The Newspaper Society of Hong Kong has always regarded the press as a public institution that can shape public opinion and build a society. Newspapers operators must therefore have a strong sense of social responsibility. Taking their role as “gate-keepers” seriously, traditional newspapers provide readers with quality news and analyses by weeding out misleading and unreliable information through their stringent editorial and fact-checking processes, which are expensive to operate. As established media operators rooted in the city, members of The Newspaper Society of Hong Kong will remain truthful in providing readers with credible content from diverse perspectives and foster social progress by acting responsibly.

Enhancing professional standards

As the annual flagship programme of The Newspaper Society of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong News Awards seeks to propel the industry to enhance its professional standards. Despite a harsh business environment, member newspapers and their staff have strived to uphold professionalism by producing truthful reports for their readers. They have undoubtedly made a positive and irreplaceable contribution to the society. On behalf of member newspapers, I congratulate this year's award winners and hope that they will continue to work with fellow journalists to produce quality news to reward their readers. Thank you.