Taipei Times Editor in Chief Rick Chu was presented with the 2002 Brighter Society Journalism Award yesterday.

Chu announced on the podium that he has donated the $60,000 prize to the Taiwan Motor Neuron Disease Association.

This is the first time in the 10-year history of the award, organized by the Taipei Journalists' Association, that an English-language daily has won.

Chu was granted the award for his special report entitled Eyes that can talk, about Chen Hung, who suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. (Photo: Chu received the award from Chen Hung's wife.) The report was published in both Chinese and English, raising awareness among people both at home and abroad about the disease. The illness is commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease after the baseball hall of famer who succumbed to it in 1941.

Representing the award winners to deliver a speech, Chu said he wished the cash prize he donated could contribute to social welfare and promote the spirit of this award -- building a brighter society.

"I also want to present this honor to Mr. Chen, the brave man I portrayed in the report as well as my respected teacher who inspired me as I entered the journalism profession," Chu said.

The editor in chief said he hopes more reports on humanitarian concerns and the brighter side of society, rather than sensational gossip, can be seen in Taiwan's media.

"This way, the media can be purified and not be viewed as the source of social disorder," Chu added.

Since its inception more than three years ago, the Taipei Times has won an award from the Society of Newspaper Design for three consecutive years.

Chu's award marks the fourth time the paper has been recognized with a local journalism award.