The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), a non-governmental organisation made up of national newspaper associations, news agencies, regional press organisations, and individual newspaper executives around the world, is inviting entries for its Digital Media Awards 2026, which honour publishers and media organisations that have delivered outstanding and original digital projects, products, or strategies.
These awards are open exclusively to media organisations, digital-native or legacy, operating at the national, international, regional, or local level. Eligibility is based on geographic scope, not organisational size.
The awards process has now been streamlined and unified for greater fairness and simplicity, as all entries will now be submitted through a single system. Also, the competition now runs simultaneously across all regions, including APAC, South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Entrants are required to submit their work once, and entries will first compete and get recognised regionally.
The awards are available in ten different categories, including Best Use of Video, Best Data Visualisation, Best in Countering Disinformation, Best Use of Audio, Best News Website or App Relaunch, Best Newsletter, Best Emerging News Providers, Best in Audience Engagement, Most Innovative Digital Product, Best AI-driven News Product, Format or Strategy, Best Reader Revenue Strategy, and Best Marketing Campaign for a News Brand.
The top-performing entry from each region will automatically advance to compete for the global titles. This new process ensures that excellence is recognised fairly across diverse markets while spotlighting the most impactful digital projects worldwide.
Independent creators or early-stage teams are eligible to apply for the Best Emerging News Providers category. Projects must have been launched, implemented, or significantly evolved between January 1 to December 31, 2025.
All regional finalists will be announced from March 13 to 23, 2026. Global Finalists will be announced on May 4, 2026.
Regional Winners will be announced during WAN-IFRA’s Digital Media regional events, while the global winners will be announced on June 2, 2026, during the Awards and Gala Night at the World News Media Congress 2026.
Entries close December 31, 2025, at midnight CET. Please visit here: https://wan-ifra.awardsplatform.com/ to submit your project.
