Nine award-winners have been announced in WAN-Ifra’s 2023 Middle East Digital Media Awards.

The annual competition drew entries between May and September this year, with finalists announced at the end of October.

The awards recognise news publishers who have delivered unique and original digital media projects. WAN-Ifra says this year’s competition attracted the highest number of entries ever.

Winners (with links) are:

Best data visualisation– The Kingdom vs Captagon (Arab News, Saudi Arabia) was described as “well researched, and presented in a friendly and engaging way”;

Best digital subscription initiative– Gulf News, UAE, “a strong opportunity to reach out to specific audiences in the UAE, especially with the focus on local news”;

Best epaper concept– The Digital Edition (Muscat Media Group, Oman), “great use of the fact this is a digital product and therefore more interactive than a traditional print product.”

Best in audience engagement– KT Personalize (Khaleej Times, UAE), “an exceptionally well thought out approach to refining a technology stack that has demonstrated positive reader engagement”;

Best news website– Hia Website Revamp (Hia Magazine, UAE), “outstanding new website targeted at affluent Arab women”;

Best newsletter– Beshara (The National, UAE), “a first-class newsletter product, telling stories in a different way and not just a distribution method for typical national work”;

Best podcast– The Mayman Show (Arab News, Saudi Arabia), “what’s very special is the personality of the presenter, who portrays a humble character, talks in a very friendly way to his guests, and is a very good host”;

Best trust initiative– An old-school solution to modern misinformation (DL News, UAE);

Best use of video– Germany’s Palestine Problem (The New Arab, UK).