卓越新聞獎基金會於2002年元月正式成立,宗旨在頒發年度新聞獎,為新聞倫理及新聞專業建立標竿。

台灣在2000年之前存在官方頒發的新聞獎,但新聞媒體的重要工作之一就是監督政府,由政府頒新聞獎並不恰當。2001年蘇正平擔任新聞局長任內,決定廢除官方所頒發金鐘獎、金鼎獎中之新聞獎項,並號召企業界共同捐助成立卓越新聞獎基金會。由台灣傳播教育界大老徐佳士先生擔任創會董事長,歷經楊敦和、蕭新煌、陳世敏、胡元輝、黃榮村幾位前董事長的領導。目前由蘇正平擔任董事長。

解嚴以來,台灣社會民主化工程進展迅速,經歷報禁解除、總統直選,政黨輪替這些大事,但這些具指標性的民主化事件,若缺乏結構面的社會深化,將不免根基脆弱,甚至面臨民主倒退。而新聞媒體是否能稱職地監督政府、針砭時弊、反映社會多元意見,將決定民主的發展程度及品質。卓越新聞獎基金會希望以強化新聞專業,來鞏固民主社會不可或缺的第四權,是健全台灣民主重要一環。

三十多年來,台灣雖經歷巨大政治變革,但從政治力鬆綁的新聞事業,仍面臨與新聞專業倫理、公共責任常有悖離的新聞商品化問題,新聞內容被視為賺取收視率及廣告收入的工具,導致內容過度煽情、碎片化,新聞媒體擔負社會公器的角色遭受排擠。而商業利益與政治偏好的連結,也讓新聞內容的衡平、公正性備受考驗。

為了扭轉新聞商品化,並減低政治力對新聞獨立的干擾,卓越新聞獎基金會除了透過年度頒獎活動建立新聞倫理及專業標竿,並發行以新聞專業社群、關心媒體議題人士為對象的《卓越新聞電子報》,鼓勵記者出版專書,每年舉辦新聞專業論壇、講座等專業促進活動。希望在提升新聞專業社群知能的同時,也影響媒體受眾,健全民主社會的第四權。

The Foundation for Excellent Journalism Award was established in January 2002, and its main task is to present annual journalism awards to establish a standard of excellence in journalism ethics and professionalism.

Before 2000, journalism awards in Taiwan were presented by the government. Since one of the major tasks of the media is government oversight, it is inappropriate for the government to present awards as encouragement to the news media. The Foundation for Excellent Journalism Award was thus established through contributions from enterprises in the hope that a journalism award presented by the private sector would be more in line with the concept of the Fourth Estate in a democratic country like Taiwan.

Taiwan society has undergone rapid democratization after martial law was lifted. Without comprehensive and sustained democratization efforts of the society, however, major events such as the deregulation of newspaper, direct presidential election, and change in government administration would only bring about feeble results, and the democratization process would be full of obstacles and be at risk. The establishment of the Excellent Journalism Award can be perceived as part of the democratization efforts.

Since 2000 Taiwan society has experienced major political changes. The media industry, which had just broken free from political control, is now faced with news commercialization that has often undermined professional ethics in journalism and its sense of public responsibility.

To reverse the trend toward increased commercialization of the media and minimize political intervention of independent journalism, the Foundation for Excellent Journalism Award not only presents annual journalism awards to establish a standard of excellence in journalism ethics and professionalism, but also encourages journalists to publish books to increase their professional achievements while holds journalism related forum, lectures, and seminars yearly.

The Foundation devotes to improve journalist community while impacts audience to strengthen the fourth estate of Taiwan democracy.