HKJA disappointed after Consumer Council Reporting Awards canned

The Hong Kong Journalists Association expressed disappointment over the decision by the Consumer Council to cancel the Consumer Rights Reporting Awards this year.

Pro-Beijing newspaper Ta Kung Pao yesterday said the watchdog decided to launch a comprehensive review on events like the reporting awards, which have been jointly organized with the HKJA and the Hong Kong Press Photographers Association since 2001.

The council said such events need to be updated in content and format, so it decided to cancel the awards as well as the Top Ten Consumer News.

Some National People's Congress Hong Kong delegates believed that the council's reputation will be affected if it continues to organize the event with the HKJA.

The HKJA said it "understands that countless things that Hongkongers once cherished will be gone under the current political atmosphere, but it still hurts when those things turn to ashes before our eyes."

The award has encouraged the media to produce many stories defending the rights of consumers, the HKJA added. "Journalists winning awards came from different media outlets with various backgrounds."

It said it hopes the council "recognizes the media's contribution in protecting consumers' rights" and appealed that the awards resume "in an acceptable manner after the review."

The Hong Kong Press Photographers Association said the award was a recognition of the demanding work of journalists and pointed out that consumer rights stories were not political news.

The group said it is worried the cancellation of such press-related events will be the first of many.

Its chairman, Ho Ka-tat, said he was not aware of the council's decision before the announcement and thought it was due to "special reasons."

"Many groups are under pressure because of the current political environment," Ho said. "The award has been organized for many years and a sudden review must have been be triggered by some special reasons."

Ho said the association only had its members join as judges. "We would only judge the quality of photos from a professional perspective."

NPC Hong Kong delegate Ng Leung-sing accused both HKJA and HKPPA of being biased and repeatedly taking sides with "yellow media" including the now-defunct Apple Daily.

"The Consumer Council's cooperation with such organizations will not only bring into question the fairness and impartiality of the award, but will also have a negative impact on its reputation," Ng said.

He said the council's decision to cancel the award for a review can restore public confidence in it.

Another delegate, Lo Sui-on, said the HKJA has a "strong political color and has smeared both the country and the SAR government multiple times."

Citing the Human Rights Press Awards, which was coorganized by the HKJA, Lo said it has been given to the pieces or reporters that "blatantly incited violence and smeared police." Lo said the association cannot "truly represent" the viewpoints of the industry.

He added that as a statutory body, it is not suitable for the Consumer Council to continue its collaboration with such an organization.