The winners of the 2026 INMA Global Media Awards, often described as the Oscars of the international news media industry, were announced yesterday evening, 7 May, during a gala dinner in Berlin. The finalists, representing 960 entries from 46 countries, were revealed in March. With seven nominations, Mediahuis once again featured prominently on the international shortlist. In total, the group took home six awards: two first prizes, four second prizes and one honourable mention.
For Mediahuis Belgium, the success of Nieuwsblad stands out. The title won two silver awards for The Green Playground, a project that connects journalism with social impact. The initiative, which encourages schools and families to green their playgrounds, was awarded second place in the categories Best Brand Awareness Campaign and Best Public Relations or Community Service Campaign.
Mediahuis also received recognition at group level. Mediahuis and RouteYou won silver in the category Best Initiative to Engage and Retain Subscribers. The bundled offering adds extra value to news subscriptions and contributes to lower churn.
Other Mediahuis titles were also recognised:
- Dagblad van het Noorden won gold in the category Best Use of Audio (Regional) for the investigative podcast De Ware Jacob, which has surpassed one million downloads and actively involves listeners in the journalistic process.
- The Irish Independent won gold in the category Best Idea to Grow Advertising Sales or Revenue with In-Market, a first-party data-driven advertising approach that delivers measurable results and recurring revenue.
- De Telegraaf took silver in the category Best Newsletter with a premium newsletter concept that allows journalists to build a direct and personal relationship with subscribers.
- The Irish Independent also received an honourable mention in the category Best Use of Audio (National) for the podcast Just Between Us. The podcast breaks taboos around relationships and reaches new audiences through a mix of audio, video and social storytelling.
