(Clockwise from left) Goh, Jeremy, Teng, Yeoh, Chan and Sin Chow celebrating their big win at the 19th Tan Sri Lim Gait Tong News Awards.
Star Media Group takes home 10 honours in Penang
STAR Media Group (SMG) won big at Penang Press Club’s 19th Tan Sri Lim Gait Tong News Awards.
It bagged 10 honours across five different categories including journalism, photography and videography.
Each segment offered one Excellent Award, the top prize which came with RM1,000 in cash and two Commendation Awards with RM500 each.
The Star swept three accolades in the IJM Land Distinguished English News Report category, with stringer Jeremy Tan winning the Excellent Award for “Joys of banknote collecting”.
His feature delved into the study and collection of banknotes not for monetary value, but their historical information, cultural significance and aesthetic appeal.
Deputy news editor Tan Sin Chow and stringer Bernard See took one Commendation Award for their joint piece “Honouring manifesto pledges” chronicling the Penang government’s efforts to uplift lives through infrastructure and community projects.
The other award went to Winnie Yeoh whose article “Sex education at home” highlighted the importance of broaching the taboo subject with children.
Sin Chow had double reason to celebrate after bagging the Excellent Award in the Datuk Ch’ng Huck Theng Cultural and Arts News Award category for “Keeping the Penang Hokkien dialect alive”.
This opinion piece lamented the waning popularity of what was once the lingua franca among the state’s Chinese community, who have increasingly adopted Mandarin.
Jeremy took another Commendation Award for his feature “Thriving on creative fuel” which shed light on the unique arts and crafts offerings at Hin Bus Depot.
H’ng (in suit, left) presenting a Lifetime Achievement Award to Lim at Penang Press Club’s annual News Awards. With them are the club’s senior committee members.
Photographer Chan Boon Kai scooped both Excellent Awards in the Tan Sri Tan Khoon Hai News Photography and the Datuk Jessen Ang Jek Seng Feature Photography categories.
His shot of a window cleaner dangling outside Komtar titled “Low pay, high risk” came out tops in the former category.
A well-composed image of a lion dance troupe flying over a sea of people during the 2023 Miaohui event titled “Majestic lion uplifts the spirit of the people” aced the latter.
Chief photographer KT Goh won three honours, one being an Excellent Award in the Ghee Hiang Tourism, Food and Beverage Videography category for “Bak chang: A traditional cultural melting pot” shot during the Duan Wu Festival.
His photo series from the same event took a Commendation Award for features, while a single image of an aeroplane over local condominiums titled “Poised to take off” won him the same accolade under news.
Star Media Group senior news editor Alex Teng was present to share the joy with the victorious team at St Giles Wembley Penang recently.
Representatives from other print and online media also received awards in the Tan Sri Hng Bok San Chinese News Report, Datuk Wira Louis Ng Chun Hau Financial and Economic News, Datuk Seri Ong Choo Hoon Supplement Editing, and Tee Kar Chye News Editing categories.
Heng Peng Seong, who started as a rookie reporter with Kwong Wah Yit Poh in 1973 before ascending the ranks and retiring as its editor-in-chief in 2017, was accorded the Datuk Seri Khor Teng Tong Journalist Service Award for his contributions.
Penang Press Club deputy president and news awards committee director Tan Ean Nee said there were 93 submissions from 35 participants this year.
Club president Ang Tong Kai said the media landscape had changed much in recent times, with traditional print media facing challenges from electronic and social media.
“With the support of a new anchor sponsor from next year, we intend to adjust the award categories to better align with the prevailing media landscape.
“We hope it will encourage more submissions,” said Ang, explaining that sponsor Tan Sri Lim Gait Tong had decided to step down after almost two decades of involvement.
Lim said he wanted to pass the baton to younger generations and called on them to take up the challenge of injecting new dynamism into the local newspaper industry.
“These awards have carried special meaning for me over the years.
“It encouraged excellent works and duly recognised the journalists and photographers who recorded history with their pens and cameras come rain or shine,” Lim added.
Penang local government, town and country planning committee chairman Jason H’ng Mooi Lye launched the award ceremony.
