不管时代巨轮如何在转，科技发展何等神速，在新闻资讯太容易获得的年代，严谨求真的信念，更值得反思。今天的新闻，明天的历史，乃事实的真相。如卫报前总编辑Charles Prestwich Scott所认为，报纸的主要工作是准确的新闻报道，并谓“事实不可歪曲，意见大可自由”。无论传媒生态怎样改变，报纸作为主要的新闻媒体，必须坚守追求事实、承担社会责任并推动社会进步。 

2018年度参赛的新闻作品水准甚高，新闻工作者在报业经营困难的环境下，仍努力维护新闻素质及坚守尊业操守的精神，充分展现在读者面前。足证新闻有价，媒体对社会絶对有积极正面和不可代替的作用。今届的作品题材，覆盖范围广泛包括中国改革开放四十周年、国策继续积极推动「一带一路」、美朝破冰历史性会面、英国陷入脱欧僵局、名人相继离世。而本港房屋议题仍施政重点、填海造地更是长远土地供应来源、多项重大基建落成并启用、天灾人祸酿成死伤、港铁沙中线红□站月台钢筋被剪短事件、环联信贷保安漏洞爆发私隐灾难等。

在此，我谨代表香港报业公会感谢社会各界支持，尤其是所有评审委员及各家赞助机构。衷心祝贺 2018年度最佳新闻奖的得奖者，更要感谢所有新闻界同业对专业的贡献和付出。展望未来，香港报业公会定必继续推动业界发展，提升业内的专业水准。最重要的是各界人士及机构对新闻业者和传媒构机给予实际支持。

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.