The Straits Times scores biggest haul at global contest; Save the Merlion, HDB flats in 3D among winners

ST won 28 awards at the Best of News Design Digital Competition, its best showing so far at the annual event. PHOTO: ST GRAPHICS

Digital Editor

Updated

Published

Mar 13, 2022, 11:08 PM

SINGAPORE - Have Housing Board flats become smaller over the years? Will the Merlion statue be flooded by rising sea levels one day?

A slate of multimedia projects by The Straits Times, which tackled a diverse range of topics using varied formats, won accolades at a global contest honouring the best in visual journalism.

ST won 28 awards at the Best of News Design Digital Competition, its best showing so far at the annual event. In all, it won three silver medals, six bronze medals, and 19 awards of excellence - with some projects bagging multiple awards in different categories. This is a big jump from last year, when it bagged five awards of excellence.

The winning works include a 3D visualisation of how the design of HDB homes has evolved; a simulation of the impact of rising sea levels on the Merlion; and a project that uses visuals and illustrations to explain the complex topic of global supply chain disruption.

The results were announced at the weekend by the Society for News Design, which organises the event. This year, it drew a record of nearly 2,000 entries. The New York Times, Reuters and The Washington Post were among key winners.

Mr Warren Fernandez, editor-in-chief of SPH Media Trust's English, Malay and Tamil Media Group and editor of ST, said: "This is a big boost for our ST newsroom, and our audiences. We were up against the very best newsrooms around the world and came out creditably.

"It reflects our ongoing efforts to tell stories and produce content in ways that are more visual and engaging, just as our audiences are demanding."

He added: "With the additional resources and support for the newsroom, as we transition to a media trust, we have been able to invest more time and energy into such efforts. The wins encourage us to press ahead, and our audiences are the biggest winners in the process."

On the HDB project, which won two silvers and one bronze - the most medals among ST winners - the judging panel said: "It brings in all the different pieces of the story... I learnt so much through the project and I wanted to keep learning."

A "climate change trilogy" - on slowing carbon emissions, saving coral reefs and stemming the rising tide of sea levels - won a bronze award. The judges commented: "Really unique way of showing the data. In terms of graphic impact, the rising sea levels piece was really stunning."

The winning works showcased the wide range of formats, including 3D and data visualisation, that the newsroom has been experimenting with, said ST interactive graphics editor Rodolfo Pazos. “This has helped us craft more visual stories that surprise and delight our audience.”

See the full list of winners here.