South Africa’s Daily Maverick won Best Innovative Digital Product for Manifesto Mayhem!, a gamified platform that turns political manifestos into digital collectible cards. Designed to make key election promises more accessible—especially to young voters—the platform blends civic education with interactive gameplay.
Selected from 674 entries across five regions (South Asia, APAC, Africa, Europe, and the Americas), the awards, made during Wan-Ifra's World News Media Congress taking place in Kraków, demonstrate how publishers leverage digital tools to enhance journalism and engage audiences.
“While we talk a lot about the challenges facing news publishers, WAN-IFRA's Digital Media Awards are an opportunity to spotlight exciting innovations around the world,” said Vincent Peyrègne, WAN-IFRA CEO. “The winners of our international competition are living proof that professional news organisations are on the rise. There is no shortage of innovations in the news and a lot to be learned from these inspiring projects.”
Best Use of AI in the Newsroom
La Nación, Argentina – Así nos habló Milei: Nine trucos del relato libertario para construir un nuevo sentido común (Thus spoke Milei: Nine deceits of the libertarian narrative to construct a new common sense)
This investigation used AI to analyse 142 speeches by President Javier Milei, offering a detailed look into his first year in office.
Best Data Visualisation
Reuters, United Kingdom – Buildings Wrapped in Solid Gasoline
Reuters investigated a fatal Valencia high-rise fire using 3D visuals, expert analysis and simulations to examine the role of flammable cladding, and highlight ongoing safety risks.
Best News Website or Digital Platform Relaunch
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany — FAZ.NET Relaunch
FAZ.NET's redesign introduced personalised content, dynamic paywalls, and real-time customisation, significantly boosting engagement and subscriptions.
Best Newsletter
The Telegraph, United Kingdom – How to Become a Millionaire
A six-week personal finance series offering actionable advice on budgeting, investing, pensions, and tax. Featuring interactivity and journalist participation, it launched during UK economic uncertainty and strengthened audience trust.
Best Digital Subscription or Reader Revenue Project
South China Morning Post, Hong Kong – SCMP Plus
Launched in June 2024, SCMP Plus offers exclusive China-focused content, successfully attracting and retaining a high-value audience of business leaders and global readers.
Best Use of AI in Revenue Strategy
United Daily News, Taiwan – The Triple Impact of AI
By integrating AI in advertising, newsroom workflows, and platform engagement, United Daily News achieved marked improvements in click-through rates, conversions, and user interaction.
Best Fact-Checking Project
Chequeado, Argentina – Promesas Chequeadas
This project tracks President Javier Milei’s campaign promises, reaching over a million people in its first week and becoming a vital accountability tool.
Best Use of Video
Verdens Gang (VG), Norway – VG’s Video Revolution
VG redefined US election coverage with mobile-first, interactive live streams, driving a 500% rise in video views and significant growth among younger audiences.
Best in Audience Engagement
Grupo El Comercio, Peru – Premios Somos 2024
This interactive voting campaign celebrating Peruvian gastronomy led to 51,000 new user registrations and a 200% engagement increase.
Best Innovative Digital Product
Daily Maverick, South Africa – Manifesto Mayhem!
A gamified platform turning political manifestos into collectible cards, making key election promises more accessible, especially to young voters.
Best Digital Advertising Product or Initiative
The Hindu, India – The Hindu Made of Chennai
Celebrating Chennai’s 385th anniversary, this 40-day multi-platform campaign blended culture, community, and entertainment to deepen audience connection. Here is the video of the campaign.
Best Use of Audio or Podcast
Podium Podcast: PRISA MEDIA, Chile — Necesito Poder Respirar: La Vida de Jorge González
This immersive podcast combined rare recordings, personal interviews, and original music, to tell the story of Chilean music icon Jorge González. It topped Spotify charts and surpassed 700,000 streams in its first month.
