Hong Kong Free Press journalism has been nominated for three prestigious Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Awards – a new record for the newspaper.

HKFP photojournalist Kyle Lam’s five shots of the Tai Po fire tragedy were nominated in the Excellence in Photography category.

In the Carlos Tejada Award for Excellence in Investigative Reporting category, HKFP’s investigation into local bookstores facing simultaneous tax audits was selected as a finalist.

And Hans Tse & Kelly Ho‘s reporting on how residents of Wang Fuk Court pondered their future a month after last November’s blaze was also shortlisted for Excellence in Feature Writing.

The finalists were selected from a competitive pool of over 700 entries across English, Chinese, and Bahasa Indonesia categories, according to a Thursday SOPA press release.

“This year’s entries once again highlight the strength and diversity of our industry, with a growing number of submissions from global, regional, and small media organizations,” the press release said. “From deeply reported investigations to innovative storytelling formats, the calibre of work continues to demonstrate the vital role journalism plays in informing and connecting our communities.”

Established in 1999, the SOPA Awards recognise editorial excellence in both new media and traditional journalism in the Asia-Pacific region. HKFP has won three prizes in previous years.

The winners will be announced on June 18 at the JW Marriott Hotel. Karen Hao – award-winning journalist and best-selling author of Empire of AI – will address the event.

HKFP’s award-winning reporting