Fast Times bags Best Automotive Section Award anew
THE Fast Times, The Manila Times’ motoring section, won yet again the Best Automotive Section Award at the Henry Ford Awards (HFA), held Monday night at the Fifth at Rockwell in Makati City.
Bertrand Lessard, managing director of Ford Philippines, led the festivities, with winners selected from a total of 239 entries composed of automotive stories, columns and opinion pieces, and photographs and videos covering general and Ford-specific motoring news, launches and trends.
“The HFA has become an institution in the local automotive industry with its continuing efforts to help boost the practice of motoring journalism in the country and give outstanding motoring journalists the recognition they deserve,” said EJ Francisco, assistant vice president for communications at Ford Philippines.
Known for its industry news, insightful and balanced views, well-written features and visually appealing page layout, the Fast Times beat the motoring sections of the Philippine Star and the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
“We had a difficult time and in the interest of fair play, the judges never knew the news organization, the editors and writers during the deliberation process. It was a feat well- deserved by the winners tonight. Clearly, the best men won,” added Lessard.
The Fast Times is a Hall of Fame awardee of the HFA.
Two-step, blind screening
The HFA Board of Judges was composed of academics and practitioners in various professional disciplines, including the automotive sector, communications, media and creatives.
For the first phase of screening, the judges were Elena Pernia, vice president for public affairs of the University of the Philippines System; Maria Margarita Alvina- Acosta, chairman of the Department of Communication of Miriam College; Felipe Salvosa 2nd, head of the journalism program of the University of Santo Tomas; and Cheryll Ruth Soriano, chairman of the Department of Communication of De La Salle University in Manila. Salvosa, also the managing editor of The Manila
Times, inhibited from judging entries from Fast Times where they were identifiable, specifically for the best motoring section category.
In the second phase, the judges were Cilette Liboro- Co, chief operating officer, ABS- CBN News Channel; Lessard, the Ford Philippines managing director; Mark Brian Nicdao, internal communications manager, Shell Philippines; and Joe Zaldarriaga, chairman of the International Association of Business CommunicatorsPhilippines.
Now on its 18th year, the HFA recognizes the contributions of automotive journalists in shaping the Philippine automotive landscape with their incisive and in- depth reportage of automotivaze news and trends in the print, online and broadcast media platforms.