The 24th Consumer Rights Reporting Awards

Background

Since its establishment in 2001, the “Consumer Rights Reporting Awards” (CRRA) has been an annual celebrative event organised and hosted by the Consumer Council. The event aims at motivating media to develop and publish news on consumer rights and interests and to advocate for and advance consumer protection policies, in order to raise the general public’s awareness of consumer rights and enhancement of consumer empowerment.

Award Categories

Awards will be presented in the following 9 categories:

• Feature Writing Award
• Investigative Reporting Award
• Audio Reporting Award
• Video Reporting Award (Short Clip – 5 minutes or under)
• Video Reporting Award (Long Clip – Over 5 minutes)
• News Photography Award
• Tertiary Student Journalism Award
• Best Use of Social Media in Consumer Advocacy
• Topical Reporting Award 2023 – “How the Application of Innovation and Technology is Impacting Consumers”

In addition to the awards in each category, there is a special award:

• Grand Award: To be chosen among the Gold Awards entries across 7 categories (excluding the “Best Use of Social Media in Consumer Advocacy” and “Topical Reporting Award) by the judging panel.

The topic for the Topical Reporting Award 2024 is “Consumer Rights Beyond Boundaries”. As technology advances at lightning speed, consumption activities nowadays have transcended boundaries. Not only can consumers search for goods and services from around the world in the comfort of their own homes, virtual platforms, currencies and commodities are also no longer bound by geographical location. The increased mobility of people and movement of goods after the pandemic have accelerated cross-boundary consumption activities. When the boundaries of consumption are no longer distinguishable, the protection of consumer rights should also keep up with the times. Examples of relevant topics include Cross-boundary consumption, online shopping, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, virtual currency, etc. Participants can submit entries during the registration period of the next Reporting Awards in 2025.

Participation Eligibility

• Participating media organisations must have a primary audience or readership based in Hong Kong, and have their main business operations based locally.
• Participation in the event is open to journalists, whether directly employed or freelancers, engaged in print, broadcast and web-based media in Hong Kong. Entries may be submitted by journalists in their personal capacity or by media organisations on their behalf.
• Web-based media must be engaged primarily in news and public affairs, disseminate information to the public and publish news content at least 5 days a week. Both independently operated news websites and websites affiliated with print or broadcast media organisations are qualified for this category.
• Students at local University or higher education institutes are eligible to participate in the “Tertiary Student Journalism Award” category.
• News media and lifestyle media platforms with Facebook Pages or Instagram accounts meeting the following criteria are eligible to participate in the “Best Use of Social Media in Consumer Advocacy” category:
  • the target audience of the Facebook Page / Instagram account is primarily Hong Kong readers;
  • the Facebook Page or Instagram account was established before 1 January 2021 and remains active (with uploads in the 4 weeks preceding 11 March 2024); and
  • the Facebook Page or the Instagram account has at least 110,000 followers and 27,500 followers respectively since (and including) 11 March 2024.
• Web-based media may submit entries which have been published on their websites to participate in all categories, excluding the “Tertiary Student Journalism Award” and “Best Use of Social Media in Consumer Advocacy”.

Entry Criteria

• All entries must have been published and disseminated to the public in print or broadcast through broadcasters, web-based media or wire services agencies, in either Chinese or English.
• The entry’s initial publication or broadcast must be between 1 January and 31 December 2023 (both dates inclusive).
• Entries can be a reporting by an individual journalist or a team of journalists.
• Each entry may only be submitted for one category (excluding Topical Reporting Award).  An entry which integrates a variety of presentation formats, for example, video, audio or photography, shall count as one entry.

• Entries from the first 5 categories can simultaneously participate in the “Topical Reporting Award” if the content conforms to the annual topic of 2023.

• An entry comprising a series of works must demonstrate a clear consistent theme throughout.

Platforms participating in the “Best Use of Social Media in Consumer Advocacy” category must satisfy the following additional criteria:

• The post must leverage information (such as trade practice, market research reports, test reports, surveys, infographics and video clips) published by the Consumer Council to promote consumer rights.
• Each platform may submit up to 10 entries. If more than 10 entries are submitted, only the first 10 entries (according to the time of submission) will be considered as entries qualifying for review.
• Posts sponsored by commercial organisations, or in the nature of commercial promotion or advertising, will not be accepted.
• Posts which offered any incentive reward to boost engagement or required readers to share/comment/like in order to read its content will not be accepted.
• A valid URL for each entry should be provided, otherwise the application will be deemed invalid.

Entry Submission Requirements

• Fill in the online entry form and upload the digital file of the entry accordingly: https://ccchoice.org/crraappli24
• Name the file in this format: "CRRA_2024_Publishing Media Name_Title of Entry" / “CRRA_2024_Publishing Media Name_Title of Entry_Transcript”.
• Participants must remove or cover unrelated contents in the entry, e.g. irrelevant reporting or advertisements. Submissions must be in high definition or high resolution.
• Upload the file before the entry deadline (30 April 2024), otherwise the application will be deemed invalid.

• Once the entry form is submitted, information such as number of participants, names and title of entry cannot be modified.
• The data will be used for production of ceremony-related materials, including but not limited to trophies, certificates, exhibition panels, awards list videos and press materials, etc.
• Please complete and submit one entry form for each entry. (except the “Best Use of Social Media in Consumer Advocacy” and “Topical Reporting Award”)
• All submissions will be reviewed for conformance with these Rules and Regulations.  Any non-conforming submissions may be rejected by the Council at its absolute discretion and will not proceed to the judging process.
• Journalists and media organisations submitting the entries on their behalf are required to make the Declaration provided on the entry form.

Entry Deadline

30 April 2024

Judging Process

The judging is a rigorous three-stage process of initial screening, preliminary judging and final judging, which will be held in May, June, and July to September 2024.

Judging Criteria

• Entries regardless of format, writing style and presentation will be assessed and adjudicated based on the same footing and the set of criteria adhering to the highest journalistic principles, i.e. honesty, accuracy, fairness and transparency.
• Entries must be original journalistic works and related to topical consumer issues in Hong Kong.
• Judging criteria: Impact to society/consumers, and its professionalism (content, presentation skills).

Adjudication Panel

The adjudication panel comprises representatives from the Consumer Council, professional organisations and academics in journalism.

• Prof. Francis Lee, Professor, School of Journalism and Communication, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Mr. Wong Wing Hang, Media Literacy Programme Executive, Hong Kong News-Expo

• Ms. May Chan, Special Advisor to the Chairman, Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Limited

• Dr. Kaman Lee, Head of Department, Department of Journalism and Communication, Hong Kong Shue Yan University

• Mr. Pun Wai Lam , Associate Professor of Practice, Bachelor of Communication (Hons), School of Communication and Film, Hong Kong Baptist University

• Prof. Peter Kwan, Treasurer, Journalism Education Foundation

• Prof. Ronald Chiu, Associate Dean, School of Communication, The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong

• Dr. Tracy Lee, Acting Head of Department, Department of Journalism and Communication, Hong Kong Chu Hai College

• Prof. Toa Charm, Associate Professor of Practice in Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Business School

• Mr. Kyrus Siu, Director,  The Social Investment Consultancy in Greater China

• Dr. Hugo Chan, Associate Dean (China), ​SBS Swiss Business School​

• Prof. Gary Wong, Associate Professor, Director of Centre for Information Technology in Education, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong

• Prof. CM Shun, Adjunct Professor, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

• Mr. Clement Chan, Chairman, Consumer Council

• Mr. Victor Lam Chairman of Publicity and Community Relations Committee, Consumer Council

• Ms. Gilly Wong, Chief Executive, Consumer Council

• Mr.Francis Ho,  Deputy Chief Executive, Consumer Council

Public Voting

• Public voting shall be introduced for 2 categories — the “News Photography Award” and “Tertiary Student Journalism Award”.
• The public can submit their votes via an online voting platform to be established by the Consumer Council on 5 entries per category shortlisted by the adjudication panel.
• The score of the adjudication panel shall account for 70% and public vote shall account for 30% of the total score.

Awards

• Each category features a Gold Award, Silver Award, Bronze Award and Merit Award (except the “Best Use of Social Media in Consumer Advocacy and "Topical Reporting Award").
  • Gold Award: Cash Prize HK$6,000 and a certificate
  • Silver Award: Cash Prize HK$4,000 and a certificate
  • Bronze Award: Cash Prize HK$2,000 and a certificate
  • Merit Award: Cash Prize HK$1,000 and a certificate
• Grand Award: Winner will be awarded a trophy and HK$20,000 cash prize.
• Topical Reporting Award: Winner will be awarded a trophy and HK$20,000 cash prize. Certificates and prizes will be awarded to the top three finalists. 
• There are 3 award tiers for the “Best Use of Social Media in Consumer Advocacy” category:
  • Grand Prize (1 awardee):  Cash prize of HK$20,000 and a trophy
  • Best Audience Engagement (3 awardees): Cash prize of HK$4,000 and a certificate
  • Best Presentation (1 awardee): Cash prize of HK$6,000 and a certificate

Other rules and regulations

• The winners will be announced at the prize presentation ceremony held in the fourth quarter of 2024. The Council will notify the winners of the arrangement for the prize presentation ceremony.
• If an entry is submitted by or on behalf of a group of entrants, the award for such entry shall be made to the entrants as a team.
• The Council reserves the right of final interpretation of all rules and regulations and final decision-making on all matters relating to the event, and the absolute right to reject or disqualify any entry or participation in the event. The Council also has the right to at any time vary these rules and regulations, the judging process and criteria, or to suspend or terminate the event (or part thereof, including in relation to any category). The Council shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from such variation, suspension or termination. In the event of any dispute, the organiser’s decisions shall be final and binding on all entrants.
• The Council reserves the right not to make any award in any category if the adjudication panel decides that none of the entries meets the required standards for an award.  Decisions of the judges shall be final.
• The Council shall not be liable for and does not assume any obligation or responsibility for any direct or indirect loss, damages, costs, expenses, disputes or claims whatsoever and howsoever arising directly or indirectly from or in connection with the 24th Consumer Rights Reporting Awards. Any legal dispute is not related to the Council.
• These rules and regulations shall be governed by the laws of the Hong Kong SAR.
• In case of any conflict or discrepancy between the English version and Chinese versions, the Chinese version shall prevail.

Enquiries

Organiser: Consumer Council

Tel: 2856 8569 (Monchi Lau)

WhatsApp Hotline: 5688 8611

Email: crra@consumer.org.hk