The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA), a Hong Kong-based non-profit organization committed to championing journalistic excellence and press freedom, has officially revealed the finalists for the SOPA 2025 Awards for Editorial Excellence. Now in its 27th year, the awards continue to serve as a premier platform to honor outstanding journalism across Asia, with more than 700 entries submitted in English, Chinese, and Bahasa Indonesia by global, regional, and local media outlets. The winners will be announced during a prestigious awards dinner in Hong Kong on Thursday, June 26. The event will feature a keynote speech by Mishal Husain, Editor at Large at Bloomberg Weekend and former BBC anchor, who will address the evolving role of image, voice, and trust in journalism during the era of artificial intelligence.
This year’s awards feature 21 categories, including Excellence in Women’s Issues Reporting, Investigative Reporting, Human Rights Reporting, Business Reporting, and more. The selection process was overseen by a panel of approximately 120 volunteer judges, made up of current and former journalists and media academics from around the world. Notably, there was a significant increase in entries from regional and local publications, with 22 small media outlets and first-time participants from 12 countries receiving subsidies to submit their work.
Among the regional finalists are the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism for Explanatory Reporting, Kontinentalist for Human Rights Reporting, and Mekong Eye for Investigative Reporting. The submitted stories reflected a broad spectrum of critical issues — from China’s economy and regional political upheavals, such as India’s unexpected election outcome and the fall of Bangladesh’s long-serving prime minister, to pressing global topics including human surrogacy, semiconductor industry competition, and the adoption of artificial intelligence in Asian economies.
The Bahasa Indonesia category, judged by veteran journalist and APCAT executive board member Rita Widiadana, honors stories that have made a significant impact on domestic affairs. Since 2011, the Journalism and Media Studies Centre (JMSC) at the University of Hong Kong has administered the SOPA Awards, reinforcing the program’s academic credibility and commitment to media development.
Ting Shi, Senior Lecturer at HKU and Head of Judges, emphasized the importance of the awards in highlighting the diversity and quality of journalism across Asia, while Bill Ridgers, Asia Digital Editor at The Economist and SOPA’s Editorial Committee co-chair, reaffirmed the value of the awards in a challenging environment for journalists, describing them as Asia’s equivalent of the Pulitzer Prizes.
Supported by sponsors such as Factiva and Telum Media, the SOPA Awards continue to recognize journalistic integrity and creativity in a rapidly evolving media landscape. As Asia’s media industry navigates political pressures, digital transformation, and new technologies, the 2025 SOPA Awards stand as a powerful testament to the enduring value of fearless, fact-based reporting.