Media is Hope AWARD 2023 second half and annual awards announced!
The Media is Hope AWARD 2023 second half and annual winners were announced at the Climate Change Media Symposium held in Tokyo on Wednesday, January 31st!
The Media is Hope AWARD is an award presented by Media is Hope to recognize the achievements of media/journalists who contribute to solving social issues such as climate change and SDGs.
Press Release：https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000004.000128060.html
Media is Hope is an association that provides various support to strengthen climate change reporting in order to realize a society that can solve climate change. It acts as a bridge to build co-creative relationships between media, citizens, companies, and all other stakeholders. It is not easy to continue to cover social issues such as climate change and the SDGs in the media. We at Media is Hope believe that viewers/readers and other people outside the media need to support media and journalists who are working hard to address these issues, and this award is part of that.
(Starting in February 2024, we will be launching new projects to support the media and a viewer/reader participation campaign. Please check out Media is Hope’s social media and website!)
【List of Media is Hope AWARD 2023 winners】
<Second half of 2023>
Individual Award: TV Asahi, Yutaka Yamaguchi
Media Award: Tokyo Shimbun
<2023 Annual>
Individual Award: Huffington Post Japan, Maya Nalata / Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Matsuki Takashi
Media Award: Asahi Shimbun
Solution Award: Hearst Fujingaho
Social Media Award: Tsuyuki Shiina / RICE MEDIA
World Award: Mainichi Shimbun, Hatta Kosuke
Best Picture Award: Film “Dance with the Issue” (Director: Tamura Yoshihiro)
*Media is Hope AWARD began presenting in the first half of 2023. In the first half of 2023, the Individual Award went to Me-Tele announcer Sanae Shimazu(Me-Tele press release), and the Media Award went to Kodansha FRaU.
As the announcement was a surprise on the day, the recipients who were unable to attend were: Media Award for the second half of 2023 (Tokyo Shimbun); Individual Award for 2023 (Takashi Matsuki, Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun); World Award (Kosuke Hatta, Mainichi Shimbun); and Social Media Award (Shiina Tsuyuki). We have presented these awards separately.
[Reasons for the award]
<2023 Second Half Individual Award: TV Asahi, Yutaka Yamaguchi>
The special television program “SDGs Special: Japan’s Challenge for a Renewable Energy Revolution” featured four renewable energy practitioners working hard across the country, and was a program that conveyed the potential of renewable energy as a solution to climate change, giving hope to many people in Japan. Yamaguchi’s unique style of reporting on renewable energy, which contributes to regional revitalization, is the epitome of solutions journalism. (The program is available for free on TVer.)
<2nd half of 2023 Media Award: Tokyo Shimbun>
The Tokyo Shimbun newspaper consistently produces a large number of articles related to climate change and decarbonization from an economic perspective, which are unique to the newspaper. In particular, the article published in October, “Summers 100 years ago were this cool… When we make Tokyo temperatures visible, the exceptional nature of 2023 becomes clear,” had a significant impact on the issue of climate change, which is said to be difficult to appeal to viewers visually. His articles are often cited in various situations and have contributed to social benefits. In addition, he is conscious of capturing the core of the problem from the perspective of citizens, and has high engagement with readers. (List of Climate Change articles in the Tokyo Shimbun)
<2023 Annual Individual Award: Maya Nakata, HuffPost Japan>
She writes articles on topics related to young people, companies, and COP that are deep and truthful, and are not available anywhere else. Her articles are highly praised by those she covers, who say that she “conveys exactly what we want to say.” COP28 aims to “move away from all fossil fuels” rather than just coal-fired power. “A big step forward,” but what’s important is “action, not words.” Media is Hope is connecting experts and has seen prompt and courteous responses. Rather than simply listing what she wants to say, Nakata’s in-depth articles, written from her unique perspective, capture what lies beyond what she wants to say, and are voluminous, rich in content, and sharp. (List of articles by Maya Nakata)
<2023 Annual Individual Award: Takashi Matsuki, Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun>
The newspaper elevates articles on decarbonization, renewable energy, and climate change from a corporate management perspective to provide useful information for companies, helping to revitalize recent business trends and local businesses. One example of an article that compiles information for other regions and companies to easily refer to is “Floating offshore wind power creates employment for approximately 100 people…The reality of the ‘renewable energy economic revolution’ that has taken place on a remote island with a declining population.” He also drew attention early on to the connection between climate change and the inseparable “biodiversity,” and published a book about it in 2023. Matsuki is speaking for companies that wish to solve social issues while also making their business a success! (List of articles by Matsuki Takashi)
<2023 Media Award: Asahi Shimbun Company>The Asahi Shimbun has been publishing articles on climate change for a long time. Currently, in addition to its daily reporting, it covers climate change extensively through various channels, including serials with new approaches such as “The Earth is Boiling: Young People Now,” many special websites such as “With Planet,” “Thinking about the Future of the Earth” and “SDGs ACTION!,” and it also regularly hosts the “Asahi Earth Conference,” making a major contribution to raising people’s awareness of the issue of climate change. We cannot imagine how much time and ingenuity goes into this. (List of Asahi Shimbun “Climate Change” articles)
<Solution Award: Hearst Fujingaho>
Climate change measures are expected of all companies, and the media that disseminates these measures are also involved. The company is taking the lead in its decarbonization efforts, such as printing all 14 of its periodical publications using green electricity, and is taking the initiative in its efforts to become a solution to climate change, setting an example for other companies. (Sustainability page)
<Social Media Award: Shiina Tsuyuki>
The short videos she posts, which focus on solving problems, inspire those who are working on the issues, while also giving hope to viewers and making them feel like “Maybe I can solve this” or “I’ll give it a try myself.” She also has a strong ability to get viewers involved, such as by making use of feedback from followers. She posts videos twice a week, which is the result of her hard work. (Shiina Tsuyuki’s website)
<Social Media Award: RICE MEDIA>
The humorous videos, titled “Media to learn about society in one minute,” are not only a way for many people to face problems, but also a way to learn about them in a casual, easy, and fun way. The on-site interviews and investigations that take place all over the country are a testament to the impressive planning and production skills that allow you to feel the tactile feel of the details and the real, behind-the-scenes aspects that you don’t usually get to see. (RICE MEDIA Links)
<World Award: Mr. Kosuke Hatta, Mainichi Shimbun>
Among Japanese media, the outlets are unique in their reporting on information from overseas, and they are involved in cutting-edge climate change reporting, such as the first interview in Japan with British data scientist Hannah Ritchie, who said, “It’s not the end of the world.” In addition to the regular articles in the Mainichi Shimbun, Hatta’s reporting, which is tailored to the audience, such as NewsPicks and the Mainichi Elementary School Newspaper, and which covers a wide range of topics from grassroots to diplomacy, has raised the interest of many people in climate change. (List of articles by Hatta Kosuke)
<Best Picture Award: “Dance with the Issue” (Director: Yoshihiro Tamura)
A documentary film on the theme of the electricity issue, fused with contemporary dance. No matter where you stand, watching this film will give you time to reexamine your thoughts. Director Tamura’s attentive listening skills, which he aimed to conduct as an “interview for the other person,” help to unravel this issue and move things forward. (Official website for the film “Dance with the Issue“)
We announced it as a surprise on the day, and everyone was very happy. (Look at their expressions!)
It’s not easy to confront social issues and communicate through trial and error to make it easy for the recipients to understand. I hope this moment was rewarding, even if just a little.
Thank you so much, for all the media representatives who work hard on reporting climate change!!