The awards celebrate outstanding achievement in digital journalism, product innovation, audience engagement, and newsroom transformation – recognising the trailblazers shaping the future of digital news publishing.
Drawing from 811 entries across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and South Asia – the competition once again showcased the remarkable breadth and vitality of global news innovation. This year’s cohort of winners reflects an industry in confident motion: excelling artificial intelligence, deepening reader relationships, elevating visual and audio storytelling, and fortifying the fight against disinformation.
A newly introduced category recognising the growing contribution of news creators signals the industry’s evolving definition of journalism itself – a fitting tribute to the diverse voices now shaping the global news ecosystem.
“What stands out in this year’s finalists is their willingness to push boundaries without losing sight of what matters most: earning and sustaining audience trust. Across every region, we are seeing publishers embrace new technologies, formats, and approaches to storytelling with remarkable creativity and confidence – not as innovation for its own sake, but to make journalism more engaging, more accessible, and more relevant to people’s lives. What gives me real optimism is that these organisations understand that strong editorial values and innovation are not opposing forces. The strongest entries demonstrate how new technologies, when deployed responsibly, can deepen audience relationships, reinforce editorial integrity, and create richer experiences that audiences genuinely value.”
— Stig Ørskov, CEO of WAN-IFRA
From one of the Digital Media Awards jury members:
“Trust in verified, vetted information is more important than ever in an age of widespread deepfakes and persistent conspiracy theories. That’s why the finalists and winners of the awards this year impressed me so much with their carefully presented reporting and data and the innovation of their formats. These are truly 21st century news organizations creating content for people who are seeking information and ready to engage more deeply with their own communities and the world. I am hopeful that this sort of work can move the entire news ecosystem forward by setting an example of new ways to serve audiences and create a more informed public.”
— Angie Drobnic Holan, Director of International Fact-Checking Network
2026 global winners
Best News Website or App Relaunch: Crime World — Mediahuis Ireland — Ireland
Best in Countering Disinformation: Indicator — Indicator — Canada
Best Emerging News Provider: Soiciety — Soiciety — Thailand
Best Reader Revenue Strategy: Winning the Young Ones — NTM — Sweden
Best AI-Driven News Product, Format, or Strategy: AI LINK: Let News Flow — Seoul Economic Daily — Republic of Korea
Best Newsletter: The AI Shift — Financial Times — United Kingdom
Best in Audience Engagement: Dave Jorgenson Goes Independent — Local News International — USA
Most Innovative Digital Product: Publish X — A Digital Product for Scalable Editorial Decision-Making — United Daily News Group — Taiwan
Best Use of Video: Anatomy of BGB Shootings in Rampura — The Daily Star — Bangladesh
Best Use of Audio: The Outlaw Ocean Podcast — The Outlaw Ocean Project / CBC Podcasts — USA
Best Data Visualisation: Stranded at Sea: A Decade After the EU’s Migrant Crisis, Hundreds Still Dying in Mediterranean — Reuters — United Kingdom
Best Marketing Campaign for a News Brand: O GLOBO 100 — O GLOBO — Brazil
Media enquiries
Qingxia Wu, Senior Digital Marketing Manager Global Events, WAN-IFRA
About WAN-IFRA
WAN-IFRA is the World Association of News Publishers. Its mission is to protect the rights of journalists and publishers around the world to operate independent media. WAN-IFRA provides its members with expertise and services to innovate and prosper in a digital world and perform their crucial role in society. With formal representative status at the United Nations, UNESCO and the Council of Europe, it derives its authority from its global network of leading news publishing companies and technology entrepreneurs, and its legitimacy from its 80 national association members representing 20,000 publications in 120 countries. www.wan-ifra.org.