The judges note: “Chiew makes business stories sing. Whether she’s unpacking F1’s economic ripple effect or dissecting Singapore’s hospitality rebound, her writing draws you in with clarity, depth, and style. She doesn’t just report data, she connects the dots, making complex topics feel accessible without dumbing them down.”
“Her voice is confident, grounded and insightful. Samantha shows that business journalism can be sharp and analytical, while still being engaging and relevant to everyday readers. Samantha is one of those rare writers who makes you smarter without making you feel like you’re reading a textbook.”
In last year’s edition, The Edge Singapore’s associate editor Jovi Ho won the CDL-Singapore Press Club Sustainability Journalism Award. In his awards citation, Ho was recognised for consistently adding dimension to the discussion about corporate efforts to drive sustainability, providing insight into challenges and opportunities that reflect regional and global perspectives.
This is the fourth edition of the awards, and the first time it was held as a standalone event. Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo presented the honours at the ceremony, which also saw winners across digital journalism, sustainability, finance, health and tech categories.
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Chiew shares the Young Journalist Award with Charmaine Tan, a producer from Mediacorp, whose CNA Insider series on Singapore’s rat problem sparked public engagement and inter-agency action.
In digital journalism, Charlene Chua from The Straits Times was recognised for her immersive multimedia storytelling, while Amanda Goh of Business Insider stood out for her people-focused features on housing and aquaculture.
The Young PR Professional Award, sponsored by Telum Media, went to Rohit Khattar of The Hoffman Agency and Yanant Htet Aung of Penta Group, both recognised for media strategy and leadership early in their careers.
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New category winners included Dylan Loh from Nikkei Asia, whose reporting on a $55 million fraud scandal won the Finance Journalism Award; Stephanie Yeo of The Straits Times, who was honoured for sensitive reporting on women’s health; and Irene Tham, Tech Editor at The Straits Times, awarded for her work on scam prevention and screen addiction.
Ang Qing, also from The Straits Times, received the Sustainability Journalism Award for her multi-platform environmental reporting, including on biodiversity and nature soundscapes.
Separately, ten veterans were inducted into the Singapore Media Industry Hall of Fame. They include Mediacorp’s Michael Chiang, Lianhe Zaobao’s Giam Meng Tuck, The Straits Times’ Alan John, The Straits Times’ Vikram Khanna, Tamil Murasu’s Murugaian Nirmala, The Straits Times’ Lulin Reutens and SBC’s Viswa Sadasivan.
Each winner received an award and a two-night stay inclusive of breakfast for two worth $1,000 at their choice of hotel, owned by Millennium Hotels and Resorts.
Bhagman Singh, the Club’s vice president and chairperson of the awards committee, says: “Right from our launch in 2022, we have been receiving a healthy number of quality nominations for the various award categories. This year was no different. The judges had to work hard to select the winners. The nominations reflect the industry’s high standards and the winners are truly deserving of the recognition.”
Patrick Daniel, president of the Singapore Press Club, says: “We are proud to once again present our annual awards. We are happy to see winners from both the mainstream media and digital media, and across a range of media titles. We are also deeply grateful for the continued support from our presenting sponsor, Citi, and category sponsors, Abbott, CLA Global TS, CDL, IBM and Telum Media, as well as prize sponsor MHR.”
Adam Rahman, head of communications, Asia South cluster, Citi, says: “Providing timely and accurate news has never been more important, especially when we are faced every day with an influx of information from a multitude of sources. Journalists and media organisations that seek to provide balanced, relevant and reliable information must be encouraged and recognised. Citi is pleased to support the Press Club which celebrates good journalism through the awards.”
