The top UK-based media awards event celebrating digital publishing excellence in 2026 is now open for entries.
Now in their fifth year, the Future of Media Awards recognise the best journalism-based websites, newsletters, podcasts, apps and examples of online video.
Last year’s big winners included: The Financial Times, The i Paper, The Guardian and The Telegraph.
The awards are open to all news publishers anywhere in the world and have separate categories for national/international brands and specialist/local ones.
The judges are looking for evidence of technical excellence, audience engagement and brilliant journalism. Some categories also have a more commercial flavour, rewarding work that helps fund quality journalism in the future.
Chairman of judges Press Gazette editor-in-chief Dominic Ponsford said: “This event is about celebrating excellence across the digital journalism universe, bringing together product, commercial, editorial and technical teams.
“This year we also have a new category for the best news industry technology partner and, of course, we now have a category for the best use of AI.”
The deadline for entries is 18 June and to qualify work must have been published in the year to the end of May 2026.
The entry fee is from £55 to £100 per entry.
News industry awards, like the industry itself, have historically failed to reflect the diversity of the UK population. To help rectify this, the Future of Media Awards are free to enter for those in previously under-represented groups who do not have an employer willing to fund their entry.
Sponsored by Admiral and Pugpig, the winners of the 2026 Future of Media Awards will be announced at a dinner held on Thursday 10 September at the Hilton Bankside Hotel in London (directly after the Future of Media Technology Conference).
This year there are four new categories:
Best Use of AI
This award recognises the most innovative use of AI by editorial, product or commercial terms. The judges are looking for use of the technology that supports great journalism and helps make it more commercially viable.
News Industry Technology Partner of the Year
This is for the technology company that has done the most to support publishers. It could be an adtech platform, content management company, analytics platform, audio/video or even a news aggregator. The judges will be looking for evidence of a technology partner who has helped publishers find new ways to make journalism pay.
Media Innovator of the Year
For the journalist, commercial executive or product leader who has done the most to lead innovation and break new ground in terms of finding new ways to make quality journalism pay in the digital age.
Publisher of the Year
For the publisher that has done the most over the last year to lead digital and commercial innovation helping to find new ways to make journalism pay in the digital age.
The other Future of Media Awards categories, as per last year, are:
— Advertising Technology & Commercial Excellence
— App of the Year
— Digital Storytelling (national/international)
— Digital Storytelling (specialist/regional)
— Live Journalism (national/international)
— Live Journalism (specialist/regional)
— Newsletter of the Year (national/international)
— Newsletter of the Year (specialist/regional)
— Online Video (national/international)
— Online Video (specialist/ regional)
— Podcast of the Year (national/international)
— Podcast of the Year (specialist/regional)
— Reader Revenue Strategy
— Website of the Year (specialist/B2B)
— Website of the Year (regional/local)
— Website of the Year (national/international)
Entries can be submitted by setting up a free account on the awards portal.
The qualification period for work is the year to the end of May 2026.
Publishers do not have to be UK-based.
The deadline for entries is 18 June, with the shortlist announced on 14 July.
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