Hong Kong’s financial secretary has called “professional, fair, objective and unbiased” media the best safeguard of the “free flow of information”, which is a foundation that helps the city develop as a global innovation hub in the Greater Bay Area.

Paul Chan Mo-po was addressing the 2020 Hong Kong News Awards on Wednesday, at which the South China Morning Post scooped 12 prizes, including six top ones.

Post editor-in-chief Tammy Tam welcomed the accolades as a ‘morale boost’ as she congratulated the winners.

Speaking as the guest of honour, Chan also acknowledged the impact of technology on media companies but stressed: “Whatever challenges they may face, I believe that professional, fair, objective news reporting will always have a good market.

“It is also what the general public would treasure and respect. It can not only help society advance, but also play the role of monitoring the government.”

Organised by the Newspaper Society of Hong Kong, the annual awards aim to recognise outstanding achievements of journalists and raise professional standards. The Post is a founder of the society, which was created in 1954.

Post photographer Felix Wong took top prize for this work showing a visitor looking at an oil painting by Zhang Xiaogang at Sotheby’s spring auction.

Entrants compete in four areas – reporting, writing, photography and design – for a total of 75 awards.

The Post took home 12 prizes this year, including the top award in six categories: best business news reporting, best business news writing (English), best photograph (features), best photograph (sport), best news page design (single page) and best news page design (series).

Post editor-in-chief Tammy Tam welcomed the accolades as a “morale boost” as she congratulated the winners.

“They have done an exemplary job, demonstrating excellence in journalism at a time when Hong Kong is navigating turbulent waters,” Tam said. “I’m proud of how they have worked together as a team – reporters, photographers, designers, everyone – to keep the world informed about the many complex and far-reaching changes our city is going through.”

Post photographer Felix Wong took the top prize for best photograph (sport) for this shot of a runner clad in surgical gear taking part in the HK Streetathon Race 2020.

The first prize for best business news reporting went to senior writer Cannix Yau, news editor Denise Tsang, and reporters Kanis Leung and Kathleen Magramo for their August 2020 series of five articles on the city’s unemployment woes caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The award for best business news writing (English) was shared by Post correspondent Finbarr Bermingham and reporter Cissy Zhou for their story on how the coronavirus had led to an unprecedented seller’s market for masks and medical supplies in China.

Staff photographer Felix Wong came first in the competition for both the best photograph (features) and best photograph (sport).

Deputy creative director Adolfo Arranz netted the top prize for best news page design (single page) for a work published in June, while he and designer Dennis Wong, creative director Darren Long, senior designer Marcelo Duhalde and graphic designer Kaliz Lee bagged the top prize in best news page design (series) for works published in March, April, May and October.

The presentation, which was held at JW Marriott hotel in Admiralty, was originally scheduled for June 28 but was postponed due to bad weather.