The Gulf's best digital newsmedia was celebrated in Dubai last night, during WAN-Ifra's Middle East Conference.

More than 70 projects had been entered in the 2019 Middle Eastern Digital Media Awards across ten categories.

The annual awards recognise unique and original digital media projects - from new approaches to digital subscriptions to powerful native advertising campaigns.

The Middle East winners now go forward to WAN-Ifra's World Digital Media Awards, which will be will be announced at the World News Media Congress in Glasgow from June 1-3.

Digital Media Middle East continues today.

The Middle Eastern Digital Media Awards winners (with links) are:

Best News Website or Mobile Service

1st Place
Abouther.com
Sayidaty Magazine, Saudi Research & Publishing Company, Saudi Arabia
https://www.abouther.com "I think this an admirable initiative within the frames of what can be published within the country. One of my favourite projects," noted one of our judges of the winning entry.

2nd Place
Arab News: Road to 2030
Arab News, Saudi Research & Publishing Company, Saudi Arabia
http://www.arabnews.com/road2030

3rd Place
AlBayan.ae News Site
Al Bayan, United Arab Emirates
https://www.albayan.ae

Best in Lifestyle, Sports, Entertainment Website or Mobile Services

1st Place 
Arrajol.com
Arrajol Magazine, Saudi Research & Publishing Company, Saudi Arabia
https://www.arrajol.com

2nd Place 
Hiamag
Hia Magazine, Saudi Research & Publishing Company, Saudi Arabia
http://www.hiamag.com

3rd Place 
Aljamila.com
Al Jamila Magazine, Saudi Research & Publishing Company, Saudi Arabia
http://aljamila.com

Best Use of Online Video

1st Place 
Saudi National Day 
Arab News, Saudi Research & Publishing Company, Saudi Arabia
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1376216/saudi-national-day----timeline-saudi-arabia's-history

2nd Place 
Video First at The National
The National, United Arab Emirates
https://www.thenational.ae

3rd Place 
24/2
Al Arabiya, United Arab Emirates
https://twitter.com/24IN2MIN/status/1077209783713751041

Best Data Visualisation

1st Place 
Global Youth Index for Misk Foundation
Ratchet Ltd.
https://vimeo.com/316757729/8b764ab4e4 "Very fun and creative way to display heavy data," said a judge. "Design and animation had introduced the content in a more appealing way to the target youth audience."

2nd Place 
Data Visualisation
Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates
http://interactive.khaleejtimes.com/global

3rd Place 
Simplicity
ALAYAM, Bahrain
http://www.alayam.com

Best Paid Content Strategy

1st Place (tie)
Harvard Business Review Arabia
Haykal Media FZ LLC, United Arab Emirates
https://hbrarabic.com/ "Very good example of first-mover in a difficult paid content Arabic market. Excellent content," noted a judge of the winner in this category.

1st Place (tie)
An-Nahar Premium
An-Nahar Newspaper, Lebanon
https://www.annahar.com/premium

Best Native Advertising / Branded Content Campaign

1st Place 
Lexus - Safe Driving - because you deserve it!
Sayidaty Magazine, Saudi Research & Publishing Company, Saudi Arabia
https://cars.sayidaty.net/

2nd Place 
Huawei in collaboration with Hiamag.com
Hia Magazine, Saudi Research & Publishing Company, Saudi Arabia
https://tv.hiamag.com/node/1136

3rd Place 
Aljamila - Johnson & Johnson campaign
Al Jamila Magazine, Saudi Research & Publishing Company, Saudi Arabia
https://youtu.be/64U8zB4cCKI

Best Digital News Start-up

1st Place 
Daraj
Daraj, Lebanon
http://www.daraj.com

2nd Place 
Whatsapp
Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/dubai/khaleej-times-news-alerts-on-whatsapp-heres-how-to-subscribe

3rd Place 
Al Bilad EST. for Journalism & Publishing
Saudi Arabia
https://albiladdaily.com/

Best in Social Media Engagement

1st Place
Your Voice is Heard campaign
Sayidaty Magazine, Saudi Research & Publishing Company, Saudi Arabia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhtesT2BASc "Projects of this kind are of great importance and necessity," said a judge about this winning campaign.

2nd Place
Alhudood Social Media
Alhudood
https://alhudood.net

3rd Place
Hia Social Media
Hia Magazine, Saudi Research & Publishing Company
https://www.facebook.com/hia.magazine/

Best Marketing Campaign for News Brand

1st Place
The News Women Power 50
Jang Media Group
http://womenpower50.com

2nd Place 
Sayidaty Eeshooha Jarrabooha Show
Sayidaty Magazine, Saudi Research & Publishing Company, Saudi Arabia
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrBM0fc62CWWQvm9PWzsjTw

3rd Place
Hia Brand
Hia Magazine, Saudi Research & Publishing Company, Saudi Arabia
https://www.hiamag.com

Best Digital Project to Engage Younger and/or Millennial Audiences

1st Place 
Al Jamila Beauty School
Al Jamila Magazine, Saudi Research & Publishing Company, Saudi Arabia
https://school.aljamila.com/ "A great new concept to engage young women," one of our judges said of the winning entry.

2nd Place 
Saudi Women Entrepreneurs Investment Program (Ahalina & Sayidaty)
Sayidaty Magazine Saudi Research & Publishing Company, Saudi Arabia
https://bit.ly/2E90Je0

3rd Place 
Alhudood's Online Platform
Alhudood
https://alhudood.net/

Pictured: Daraj, from Lebanon, won the prize for best digital news start-up