The INMA Global Media Awards 2026 ceremony — one of the most prestigious international recognitions in the media industry — took place on May 7 in Berlin as part of the INMA World Congress of News Media 2026. The event brought together representatives of leading media companies from around the world. The Association of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine received an Honourable Mention from the jury at the INMA Global Media Awards 2026.
Notably, the day before, on May 6, AIRPPU CEO Oksana Brovko also delivered a speech during the official ceremony of the Press Freedom Awards 2026 in Berlin. It was a laudation — a ceremonial tribute speech dedicated to the award recipient — for Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong publisher and one of the world’s most prominent political prisoners today.
AIRPPU Reached the Final
The Association of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine (AIRPPU) received an Honourable Mention from the jury and was shortlisted for the INMA Global Media Awards 2026.
Our project, «When Local Journalism Becomes Infrastructure: Building a Newsroom Operating System for Anti-Corruption Investigations During Wartime», was selected among 200 finalists from 960 entries submitted by 274 media brands across 46 countries worldwide.
The project focuses on strengthening local media networks and advancing investigative journalism in the regions. Since 2025, within the framework of the «Stronger Together: Transparency and Anti-Corruption» programme, the Association of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine has been supporting regional newsrooms in working with open data, documents, and complex topics — from public finances to the activities of local authorities. The programme brings together 18 newsrooms, mentors, and experts.
«For us, this recognition is прежде всього an opportunity to draw international attention to more than 120 investigations produced by small local newsrooms within the programme. As these investigations gain visibility, local editorial teams increasingly face pressure from the subjects of their reporting. That is why international recognition matters. It creates additional visibility and a certain level of protection for newsrooms working on sensitive topics in small communities», says Oksana Brovko.
AIRPPU’s advancement to the finals is a recognition of the strength and resilience of Ukrainian regional media, which continue working for their communities despite all challenges.
Who Won the INMA Global Media Awards 2026
The INMA Awards competition, which has recognised excellence in news media since 1937, evaluates media companies in two categories: national brands and regional brands.
The evening’s top award went to The Wall Street Journal for the project «Story Discovery: How WSJ ORCA Unlocks the Podcast Universe» — a powerful investigative journalism tool that transforms the previously unsearchable podcast ecosystem into structured, analysable data. The system enables journalists to track narratives, sources, and influence across thousands of hours of audio while incorporating built-in accountability mechanisms.
This year, two companies shared first place honours: Dainik Jagran from India and News Corp from Australia.
Winners from Six Global Regions
The judges also selected the best projects from six regions of the world among the finalists:
- Best in Africa: Media24 for «Saturday Night Fitness»
- Best in Asia/Pacific: ACM/Explore for «From Destination to Networked Product»
- Best in Europe: Bauer Media for «Toni OS & Eva AI»
- Best in Latin America: Clarín for «Mile 201: Patrolling the World’s Most Disputed Maritime Border»
- Best in North America: The Wall Street Journal for «Story Discovery: How WSJ ORCA Unlocks the Podcast Universe»
- Best in South Asia: Dainik Jagran for «Lights. Cities. Action.»
«This year’s INMA winners demonstrate that artificial intelligence has evolved from experimentation into a strategic operational framework, while the traditional linear subscription funnel has given way to integrated audience systems focused on lifetime value rather than simple customer acquisition», said Earl J. Wilkinson, Executive Director and CEO of International News Media Association.
Equally important, he stressed, participants are combining this business sophistication with a renewed commitment to compelling, human-centred, and local journalism. In a year marked by disinformation and fragmented public discourse, news media organisations are proving that strategic depth and editorial purpose are not competing priorities, but rather reinforce one another.
Background
The INMA Global Media Awards are among the oldest and most respected honours in the media industry, recognising innovation in journalism, audience development, editorial products, and newsroom transformation for nearly 90 years. This year’s finalists included projects from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America.
We would like to recall that in 2025, the Association of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine received the Grand Prix «Best in Show» at the INMA Global Media Awards 2025 for the campaign «Rescuing Freedom: The Campaign to Save Ukrainian Regional Journalism», which won in four categories simultaneously.
At the time, the global media community recognised the Association’s systemic support for newsrooms during the war, including assistance with relocation, safety training for journalists, and the development of international partnerships.
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The Norwegian Partnerships Programme is implemented by the Association of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine (AIRPPU) in partnership with WAN-IFRA and the Norwegian Media Businesses’ Association (MBL), with the support of Norway.
