The best digital media work in the world has already been acknowledged in a series of Digital Media Awards 2026.

Now organiser WAN-Ifra is preparing the final stages that will see top performers from each region compete for global titles in 12 categories to be announced on June 2 at the World News Media Congress in Marseille.

Both before and after that, finalists will be acknowledged at Digital Media events in Bogotá (LATAM, April 15-16), Manila (April 28-29), Delhi (June 24-25), Africa (tentatively July 21-22 at the virtual AI Forum), and London (October 19 for both European and Middle Eastern finalists).

Finalists have been chosen from 811 entries across 78 countries… some 278 exceptional projects recognised for their excellence in digital journalism.

Top-performing finalists compete for global titles in each of the 12 categories, with winners announced in Marseille on June 2. WAN-Ifra says categories with the strongest participation covered Use of Video, Data Visualisation, Most Innovative Digital Product, Audience Engagement and AI-driven News Product, Format, or Strategy. A category for Emerging News Providers also makes its debut this year.

Says new chief executive Stig Ørskov, “This year’s finalists prove that the future of journalism is not ahead of us – it is being built right now.

“Their work reimagines how content is created and delivered, with a clear focus on relevance, impact, and strengthening public trust in independent journalism. Together, they set a powerful benchmark for excellence, combining creativity with execution and showing how purpose-driven innovation can shape a more trusted and resilient media landscape.”

Among outstanding entries, ‘Best in Countering Disinformation’ stands out.

“At a time when trust is under pressure these initiatives demonstrate how journalism can confront falsehoods, strengthen public understanding and help audiences resist manipulation,” says Ørskov.

The international jury of 61 media leaders included news designer Mario García, and executive editor of The Independent Jacqui Merrington. The panel also included Adriana Lacy (Field Nine Group), Aileen Rae Perez (GMA Integrated News Social Media), Bal Krishna (Fact Check), Caroline Kimutai (Burson), Ignacio Zaccagnino (Normadic), and many more.

Finalists:

Best News Website or App Relaunch

This category recognises outstanding redesigns or relaunches of digital news platforms, including websites and apps, that significantly improve user experience, editorial presentation, performance, and strategic value.

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Audience-First Relaunch of a Digital News Website  |  Okaz Organisation for Press and Publication  |  Saudi Arabia

Beyond the Headline – A digital news redesign  |  Debunk Media  |  Kenya

CNA App Revamp  |  CNA, Mediacorp  |  Singapore

Crime World  |  Irish Independent  |  Ireland

Daily Sun – The People’s Paper, Digitally Reimagined  |  Daily Sun  |  South Africa

Deccan Herald and Prajavani Epaper Revamp  |  The Printers Mysore Private Ltd.  |  India

Kauppalehti Pörssi 2.0: Reinventing Finland’s Leading Stock Market Service for a New Generation of Investors  |  Kauppalehti / Alma News Media  |  Finland

LA NACION, 30 years of innovation  |  La Nacion  |  Argentina

N1 Info Website & App Redesign  |  N1  |  Serbia

Netwerk24 Newsroom Transformation  |  Netwerk24  |  South Africa

New El Tiempo News App  |  Casa Editorial El Tiempo  |  Colombia

New website – A Redação  |  A Redação  |  Brazil

Reinventing ‘Der Tag’ – How F.A.Z. Turned a Freemium News Product Into a Premium News Experience  |  Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung  |  Germany

Rheinpfalz App  |  RHEINPFALZ Verlag  |  Germany

Saudi Gazette  |  Okaz Organisation for Press and Publication  |  Saudi Arabia

Sinar Daily |  Sinar Karangkraf Sdn Bhd  |  Malaysia

The Chosen Ones  |  NTM  |  Sweden

The Daily Jagran  |  Jagran New Media  |  India

UOL: The Multiplatform Evolution (Towards 30 Years)  |  UOL  |  Brazil

Young World Club  |  The Hindu Group  |  India

ZBSchool.sg Relaunch: Building the Next Generation of Chinese News Readers Through Learning-Led Engagement  |  SPH Media, ZBSchools  |  Singapore

Best in Countering Disinformation

This category rewards outstanding work that strengthens public understanding and trust by confronting disinformation with transparency, responsiveness, and innovation.

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Anatomy of a Buzzer Network  |  Kompas Daily Newspaper  |  Indonesia

Augsburg checkt’s  |  Günter Holland Journalistenschule / Augsburger Allgemeine  |  Germany

Building Public Resilience to Information Pollution in Libya (RIPIL)  |  BBC Media Action  |  Libya

Debunking the ‘Lifetime Golden Visa’ Rumour: A Verification-Led Newsroom Response by Khaleej Times  |  Khaleej Times  |  UAE

Detektif Deepfake  |  Tempo  |  Indonesia

Exposed: The Fake News Factory  |  News24  |  South Africa

Indicator  |  Indicator  |  Canada

Kumbh Investigation  |  BBC News Hindi  |  India

La Buloteca  |  Maldita.es  |  Spain

Latin American Network of Fact-Checking Trainers: Collaboration as a Response to the Trust Crisis  |  Chequeado  |  Argentina

Noticias Falsas, Víctimas Reales  |  Agencia EFE  |  Spain

Sach ke Sathi Senior Citizens Media Literacy Program  |  Jagran New Media (Vishvas News)  |  India

SEMS EUROPE  |  The Guardian Foundation, Maldita.es, Correctiv and DeCheckers  | Europe (multiple countries)

The Hindu Written By Journalists  |  The Hindu Group  |  India

The Smear Campaign Against Daraj  |  Daraj Media  |  Lebanon

Tren de Aragua: Fact vs. Fiction  |  InSight Crime Incorporated  |  USA

X-Boer Unmasked  |  News24  |  South Africa

Best Emerging News Providers

This new category recognises independent news creators or early-stage news organisations that demonstrate credibility, originality, and clear public value. It celebrates creators who consistently produce factual, community-relevant information for digital platforms, particularly in underserved or low-trust information environments.

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APT  |  IE Online Media Services Private Limited  |  India

Children United  |  Children United  |  UK

Dave Jorgenson Goes Independent  |  Dave Jorgenson  |  USA

Fayli Xelk: Community Powered Journalism  |  AVA Media  |  Iraq

Fayn  |  Fayn  |  Turkey

Headstart  |  SPH Media, The Straits Times  |  Singapore

Housing emergency in Italy  |  VD  |  Italy

Indicator  |  Indicator  |  Canada

Ngewarta  |  PT Dynamo Media Network (kumparan)  |  Indonesia

Novanews.co.za  |  Novus Media  |  South Africa

Bangkok Local News |  Society  |  Thailand

Spot On: journalism meeting the moment in a creator economy  |  Spot News  |  India

Vale Vivo Project  |  Grupo A Hora  |  Brazil

Willow Health Explainers  |  Willow Health Media  |  Kenya

Willow Health Media – Emerging Health Journalism for Africa  |  Willow Health Media  |  Kenya

Best Reader Revenue Strategy

This category recognises smart subscription and membership strategies that support journalism through long-term loyalty, especially those that are technically sound, editorially strong, and contextually adapted to different markets and audiences.

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Di +Pro  |  Bonnier News  |  Sweden

Enhancing the Premium subscription tier to drive acquisition, engagement and upgrades  |  The Washington Post  |  USA

From Transaction to Trust: Leveraging Single-Article Sales for Audience Loyalty  |  Erna Media  |  Sweden

Local newspapers: From endangered product to success story  |  Bonnier News Local  |  Sweden

Manorama Online Premium  |  Manorama Online  |  India

News24: A Converged Commerce Strategy  |  Media24 – News24  |  South Africa

Olé & Digital Subscriptions. Consolidation of the Business Model |  Olé  |  Argentina

Personalised Homepages – Proven Outcomes  |  Finansavisen  |  Norway

Premium Audience Engagement  |  Bisnis Indonesia Premium  |  Indonesia

Resilience & Revenue: Turning Investigative Impact into a 45% Subscription Growth in 2025  |  Tempo.co  |  Indonesia

SCMP Lite  |  South China Morning Post  |  Hong Kong

UOL+: The Lifestyle Bundle Strategy  |  UOL  |  Brazil

V+ Daily Pass  |  Russmedia  |  Austria

Winning the young ones  |  NTM  |  Sweden

Best AI-driven News Product, Format or Strategy

This category recognises innovative, ethical, and fully implemented uses of AI in journalism.

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AI Integrated Editorial CMS for Newsroom Efficiency  |  Saudi Gazette  |  Saudi Arabia

AI LINK: Let News Flow  |  Seoul Economic Daily  |  South Korea

AINews  |  Journalism Resource Center – JRC  |  Georgia

Ask Aunty Chatbot  |  Raseef22  |  Egypt

Bihar SIR  |  The Hindu  |  India

Cheatsheet: a spreadsheet-based investigative tool to make sense of large datasets using A.I.  |  The New York Times  |  USA

Developing News Stories through Data Science Analysis of Open Source Data  |  AsiaOne Online Pte. Ltd.  |  Singapore

EditorialEye  |  Briefly News  |  South Africa

EqualVoice-Assistant  |  Ringier AG  |  Switzerland

Framing Gaza  |  Daraj, Saheeh Masr  |  Egypt

Graflager  |  Fædrelandsvennen  |  Norway

HT Archives Digitization  |  HT Media Labs  |  India

Impact Engine: An AI-powered tool for impact tracking and planning  |  Daily Maverick  |  South Africa

LANA – Laboratory for Automated News Analysis  |  El Economista  |  Mexico

Mantis Scribe  |  Reach plc  |  United Kingdom

NoticIA  |  El Vocero de Puerto Rico  |  Puerto Rico

Proteus: Millions New Pageviews, Less Routine – Redefining Editorial Efficiency and Building the Newsroom of the Future | Ringier AG | Switzerland

Publish X , An AI-Driven News Decision Engine  |  United Daily News Group  |  Taiwan

Rani  |  Haaretz Group  |  Israel

Varta Setu – News Bridge  |  The Printers Mysore Limited  |  India

WOHIN  |  Russmedia  |  Austria

Best Newsletter

This category honours newsletters as essential journalistic formats that combine voice, service, and strategy to deepen audience relationships and build long-term loyalty, regardless of business model or scale.

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AI PRISM: Personalized Report & Insight Summarizing Media  |  Seoul Economic Daily  |  South Korea

AI Prognosis newsletter  |  STAT  |  USA

Eroi del clima  |  Il Giornale di Vicenza (Gruppo Athesis)  |  Italy

Explaining Latin America through newsletters  |  The Brazilian Report  |  Brazil

fetzt. – A local newsletter guiding Chemnitz through its year as European Capital of Culture 2025  |  Freie Presse – Medien Union GmbH Ludwigshafen  |  Germany

Freie Presse: Gastro Newsletter ‘Schmecken lassen’  |  Freie Presse Chemnitz  |  Germany

From the Editor  |  The Telegraph  |  United Kingdom

India Business Briefing  |  Financial Times  |  India

Middle East Today  |  The National  |  UAE

Rapor Ekonomi Satu Tahun Prabowo-Gibran  |  Bisnis Indonesia Group  |  Indonesia

Slurrp’s Just One Thing  |  HT Media Labs  |  India

Standup  |  Capital Brief  |  Australia

The AI Shift  |  Financial Times  |  United Kingdom

The Hindu Explains  |  The Hindu  |  India

The state of Israel  |  Haaretz  |  Israel

The Week with SvD  |  Svenska Dagbladet  |  Sweden

Unhedged  |  Financial Times  |  USA

WeekendPost Extra  |  WeekendPost Newspaper  |  Botswana

Best in Audience Engagement

This category honours initiatives that build strong, sustained relationships with audiences through intentional, inclusive, and digitally relevant engagement.

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Ask an Expert  |  Financial Times  |  United Kingdom

Chamchamal Flooding: From Broadcast to Boots on the Ground  |  AVA Media  |  Iraq

Dave Jorgenson Goes Independent  |  Local News International  |  USA

FloodControlPH  |  Rappler  |  Philippines

From Transaction to Trust: Leveraging Single-Article Sales for Audience Loyalty  |  Erna Media  |  Sweden

Gaumenfreuden’ events  |  Tiroler Tageszeitung  |  Austria

Ideas  |  Capital Brief  |  Australia

Intelligent Notification System with Reinforcement Learning  |  HT Digital Streams  |  India

Iran International Telegram bot  |  Volant Media UK Ltd  |  United Kingdom

Kumparan Multi-channel Journalism  |  PT Dynamo Media Network (kumparan)  |  Indonesia

News24 WhatsApp Channel  |  News24  |  South Africa

Papeletas Ciudadanas (Citizen Ballots: Turning Viral Complaints into Legal Enforcement)  |  El Comercio  |  Peru

Political Discourse: Mkhwanazi Coverage  |  Daily Sun  |  South Africa

Rani  |  Haaretz Group  |  Israel

Rapport/Netwerk24’s 100 Best Afrikaans Books  |  Rapport/Netwerk24  |  South Africa

Sema Na Z: The Youth Voice Project  |  Nation Media Group  |  Kenya

Slurrp Community: Building India’s Largest Food Platform  |  HT Media Labs  |  India

Truth or tale?  |  SWI swissinfo.ch  |  Switzerland

Under The Same Sun: Gujarat’s Women Powering India’s Solar Transition  |  PLUC  |  India

UOL 360° Ecosystem: From ‘Dark Social’ to Live Broadcasting  |  UOL  |  Brazil

VG promotes quality journalism without influencers  |  VG  |  Norway

Vozes do Agro (Agribusiness Voices)  |  Editora Globo  |  Brazil

Xor subbrand at TV2 Østjylland  |  TV2 Østjylland  |  Denmark

Most Innovative Digital Product

This category recognises a digital product that offers a compelling and effective solution to a specific audience or market need.

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A Re Buwe  |  Daily Sun  |  South Africa

AI NOVA: News Orchestrating Vivid Agent  |  Seoul Economic Daily  |  South Korea

Ask an Expert  |  Daily Sun  |  South Africa

Bergen Monitor  |  Bergens Tidende  |  Norway

Erased Palestinian Communities (Erased)  |  Haaretz  |  Israel

Fintech AI Suite  |  HT Digital Streams  |  India

Iran International Telegram bot  |  Volant Media UK Ltd  |  United Kingdom

Keeron: Accelerating Careers, Redefining Media  |  The Daily Star  |  Bangladesh

LN PLAY: A Planned Product to Distribute Video News and Analysis in Real Time, from Newsroom to Platform  |  LA NACION  |  Argentina

News Connect: Same journalism. New Interface. AI Native.  |  Ippen Digital GmbH & Co. KG  |  Germany

Personalised Homepages – Proven Outcomes  |  Finansavisen  |  Norway

Publish X ,A Digital Product for Scalable Editorial Decision-Making  |  United Daily News Group  |  Taiwan

Rani  |  Haaretz Group  |  Israel

Reimagining video for premium journalism  |  VG  |  Norway

RUN – A running platform turning local sports data into journalism, loyalty and revenue  |  Stavanger Aftenblad  |  Norway

Sakal E-paper  |  Sakal Media Group  |  India

Scaling Success Across Borders: How a Record-Breaking Methodology Empowered Danish and Norwegian Newsrooms  |  Berlingske  |  Denmark

SOJO QuickInsights  |  Nigeria Health Watch  |  Nigeria

Unlocking growth with flexible access: Giving customers more ways to pay for journalism  |  The Washington Post  |  USA

UOL Flash: The Social News Feed  |  UOL  |  Brazil

Vietnam’s Journey to Independence – Recreated on Digital Platforms  |  Nhân Dân Newspaper  |  Vietnam

Best Use of Video

This category honours powerful video journalism that makes strong use of the format to serve editorial goals, tell original stories, and engage audiences across digital platforms.

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Anatomy of BGB shootings in Rampura  |  The Daily Star  |  Bangladesh

Behind The Story of Pacu Jalur  |  Fkum  |  Indonesia

Benito en PR  |  El Vocero de Puerto Rico  |  Puerto Rico

Dana: la vida y la muerte en cien metros  |  ABC  |  Spain

Faktos Franquistas  |  elDiario.es  |  Spain

GZH Streaming operation  |  Grupo RBS  |  Brazil

How women protect Mexico City’s ancient island farms  |  Mongabay and Associated Press  |  Mexico

Hunted – Tracked, traced and eliminated: How Mpho Mafole was murdered  |  News24  |  South Africa

Le Touriste, Le Parisien’s video series  |  Le Parisien  |  France

Les Echos’ Video Programs: Expanding the Reach of Economic Journalism  |  Les Echos  |  France

Lost sons of Kenya  |  TUKO.co.ke  |  Kenya

Moor: Storytelling to Story-Living  |  Daraj Media  |  Lebanon

NIKKEI Film: The ‘megadrought’ striking the American Southwest  |  NIKKEI Inc  |  USA

Samidat: In the Face of War  |  The New Arab  |  Egypt

Short Video Analyses – Kleine Zeitung  |  Kleine Zeitung GmbH  |  Austria

The Final Confession of Toa Payoh Ritual Murderer Catherine Lim  |  Our Grandfather Story  |  Singapore

The Highway of Death: Jatrabari Killings  |  Prothom Alo  |  Bangladesh

The Prejudices of the People  |  Bergens Tidende  |  Norway

The price of silence: Exposing the IDT bribe attempt on journalist Africa International  |  Daily Maverick  |  South Africa

Through The Years  |  AsiaOne Online Pte. Ltd.  |  Singapore

Um Brasil que desmorona (A Brazil that crumbles)  |  Metrópoles  |  Brazil

Why Indian Cities aren’t Walkable  |  The Quint  |  India

Best Use of Audio

This category rewards audio journalism that expands storytelling, deepens public understanding, and engages listeners through sound.

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Age of Anxiety  |  CNA, Mediacorp Pte Ltd  |  Singapore

Audio Led Access to Journalism Across Platforms  |  Okaz Organisation for Press & Publication  |  Saudi Arabia

Black Circle: The Shocking Story of Norwegian Black Metal  |  Bergens Tidende  |  Norway

Caso Zero  |  O GLOBO  |  Brazil

Delayland  |  DW (Deutsche Welle)  |  Germany

Escoltas: la sombra que me protegía de ETA  |  ABC  |  Spain

Just Between Us  |  Irish Independent  |  Ireland

Mission Manipur  |  Frontline magazine  |  India

Neymar: The Business Empire Behind the Star  |  UOL  |  Brazil

No quiet at home: The reality of living with Singapore’s traffic noise  |  SPH Media, The Straits Times |  Singapore

On the frontlines: Eco-Business Podcast series  |  Eco-Business Pte. Ltd.  |  Singapore

Sanaa’s Odyssey  |  The New Arab  |  United Kingdom

Storytime with Zaza and Zuzu  |  BBC Media Action  |  Palestine

The Killing Call – An Investigation  |  Collective Newsroom  |  India

The Man with Two Faces  |  Bergens Tidende  |  Norway

The Outlaw Ocean Podcast  |  The Outlaw Ocean Project / CBC Podcasts  |  USA

Trapped in the Mountain  |  Bergens Tidende  |  Norway

VAPE UNIVERSE  |  Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism  |  South Africa

West Africa’s Borderless Women: Inside the Yoruba Sisterhood Linking Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire  |  RM Times  |  Nigeria

Why Indian Forces Lost 72 Fighter Jet Pilots Without Any War in the Last 26 Years |  The Quint  |  India

Wrapped 2025  |  EL PAÍS  |  Spain

Youth-Led Audio Storytelling Lab  |  Izuba Radio & TV  |  Rwanda

Best Data Visualisation

This category recognises data visualisations that turn complex information into clear, engaging and accessible storytelling.

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A new, mobile first election coverage  |  VG  |  Norway

Aniversario dana  |  Las Provincias  |  Spain

Así volaron una fábrica de armas en la Argentina para ocultar pruebas de corrupción  |  LA NACION  |  Argentina

From Cradle to Future: Why childhood vaccination is protecting Kenya’s generations  |  Willow Health Media  |  Kenya

How bad is the air Delhi breathes?  |  Collective Newsroom  |  India

I Thought I Was Too Young For Breast Cancer  |  Our Grandfather Story  |  Singapore

Inside North Korea’s vast operation to help Russia’s war on Ukraine  |  Reuters  |  United Kingdom

Interactive Map of Israeli Targets in the 12-Day War  |  Iran International  |  United Kingdom

Investment in AI is exploding  |  Reuters  |  India

Nuwa Senchi: From Survivors to Women Leaders  |  El Comercio  |  Peru

SOS Montseny  |  Diari ARA  |  Spain

Stranded at sea: A decade after EU’s migrant crisis, hundreds still dying in Mediterranean  |  Reuters  |  United Kingdom

Surviving the unsurvivable: Sole survivors in plane crashes  |  Reuters  |  India

The Crime Map  |  O Globo  |  Brazil

The lives lost in Gaza  |  Reuters  |  Singapore

The Vanishing Lifeline: Can Kenya’s Healthcare System Survive Without US Funding?  |  Willow Health Media  |  Kenya

What data can tell us about South Africa’s child literacy problem and how to solve it  |  TheOutlier.co.za  |  South Africa

When a typhoon hits Hong Kong  |  South China Morning Post  |  Hong Kong

When Empty Spain Fills Up: Crowded Mountains, Packed Beaches and Seasonal Overpopulation  |  Agencia Colpisa (Vocento)  |  Spain

Best Marketing Campaign for a News Brand

This category recognises the most impactful marketing campaigns led by news organisations to grow their audience, strengthen brand positioning, or reinforce trust and public value.

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Algokind by WZ  |  Wiener Zeitung GmbH|  Austria

Campaña-cunyadisme-Nadal  |  Diari ARA  |  Spain

Democracy under attack  |  Reuters  |  United Kingdom

Every goal counts  |  VG  |  Norway

HHH: Heads Held High  |  Prothom Alo  |  Bangladesh

Manorama Online – Chumma MO it!  |  Manorama Online  |  India

Netwerk24 het GROOT NUUS (Netwerk24 has BIG NEWS)  |  Netwerk24 (Media24)  |  South Africa

O GLOBO 100  |  O GLOBO  |  Brazil

Powering The Future  |  Star Media Group Berhad  |  Malaysia

RP+ CampusPass: Exclusive access to the young target group  |  Rheinische Post Medien GmbH  |  Germany

Stand Up and Be Counted  |  Food For Mzansi  |  South Africa

The National Concert “To Quoc trong tim: Homeland in Our Hearts  |  Nhân Dân Newspaper  |  Vietnam

STAT10  |  STAT  |  USA

The Australian: Welcome To The Contest Of Ideas  |  The Australian / News Corp Australia  |  Australia

The Hindu Made of Chennai  |  The Hindu Group  |  India

The P&J – Your voice of the North  |  DC Thomson  |  United Kingdom

The Whole Picture  |  The Guardian  |  USA

Woman Life Freedom  |  Volant Media UK Ltd  |  United Kingdom

Pictured: The Straits Times’ Headstart site was a finalist in the category for best emerging news providers