Background and Philosophy of the Wei Ming-Kuang Prize

Background and Vision

The Wei Ming-Kuang Prize is established and sponsored by the Wei Fund for Educational and Journalistic Excellence (Wei Fund), which was initiated by Mr. Michael Wei's donation in 2024. The Prize aims to advance the professional development of journalism in Taiwan, enhance the quality of news reporting, and cultivate a new generation of journalistic talent equipped with an international perspective, social consciousness, and innovative capabilities.

The Prize is overseen by the Committee of Wei Ming-Kuang Prize and managed and executed by the Office of Wei Fund for Educational and Journalistic Excellence.

The Philosophy: A Proposal-Based Approach

In contrast to traditional journalism awards that adopt a results-oriented approach—primarily evaluating completed works—the Wei Ming-Kuang Prize employs the "Proposal System," a method rarely seen in Taiwan.

The core purpose of this approach is to:

• Encourage news professionals or institutions to proactively submit innovative concepts and experimental plans.
• Support projects for journalistic excellence and talent cultivation that demonstrate both professional rigor and significant social impact.
   

The Prize is divided into two categories:

• Initiative for Journalism Advancement (倡議獎): This category focuses on local practice, innovative reporting, and advocacy.
• Initiative for Global Exploration (探索獎): This category encourages overseas study, advanced training, and international collaboration to cultivate journalists with a global perspective and proactive agency.
   

Each year, the Committee will invite professional journalists, academic representatives, and cross-disciplinary experts to form a Selection Panel. This panel will conduct a comprehensive evaluation based on the innovativeness, feasibility, and public relevance of the proposals, selecting forward-looking individuals or teams for grants and support.

In the future, the Wei Ming-Kuang Prize is set to serve as a crucial platform for dialogue, connecting education, professional practice, and public discourse, thereby deepening journalistic professionalism and responding to the public’s aspirations for high-quality news.