Global Entries Now Open for 2026 WAN-IFRA Digital Media Awards
The World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) has officially opened submissions for its renowned Digital Media Awards, marking the start of one of the industry’s most prestigious competitions. Since its inception almost two decades ago, the Digital Media Awards have recognized and honored news publishers for their outstanding digital projects.
Initially launched in Europe and Asia-Pacific, the awards quickly expanded into a global competition within just four years. The event has since become a highly anticipated showcase of the best and most unique digital news projects from around the world.
Celebrating digital excellence
The Digital Media Awards aim to celebrate excellence in digital publishing and inspire publishers worldwide to bring their most innovative projects to an international stage. With the media industry currently undergoing a period of significant change, the awards serve as a collective effort to support and propel the sector forward with a renewed sense of purpose.
A unified process for global recognition
This year, WAN-IFRA has introduced a unified entry process for both the regional Digital Media Awards (Asia, Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa) and the global Digital Media Awards. Submissions will be evaluated in 12 categories that cover key areas of digital news innovation, which can be viewed on the WAN-IFRA website.
The competition is open to media organizations of all sizes, from emerging digital natives to established brands, as long as their digital initiatives were launched, implemented, or significantly evolved between 1 January and 31 December 2025.
Recognizing emerging news providers
In addition to the existing categories, WAN-IFRA has also introduced a new Best Emerging News Providers category to its annual Digital Media Awards. This category is part of WAN-IFRA’s Future Audience Initiative, which aims to support rising news organizations and independent news creators globally. The program is designed to provide these individuals and organizations with access to professional networks and representation, which they may not have had before.
How to submit an entry
Entries can be submitted through the WAN-IFRA awards platform until 31 December at 23:59 CET. Detailed guidelines, category requirements, and submission criteria can be found on the WAN-IFRA website.
For more information, please contact Sumithra Hönig, Director of Global Sales & Events at WAN-IFRA, at awards@wan-ifra.org.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.