All the 2019 African Digital Media Awards winners

The judges applauded the winners for compelling, eye-opening, and in-depth projects in all eight categories.

“We’re really excited to see the success of African news startups like Daily Maverick and Food for Mzansi, alongside impressive projects from bigger players like the BBC and Media24,” said Vincent Peyrègne, CEO, WAN-IFRA, after meeting the winners. “These awards show the potential for digital news to be not only engaging and innovative, but also financially sustainable.”

WAN-IFRA extended a special thanks to the judges. The judges included a panel of thought leaders across the continent. They included: Sheena Adams, Accountability Lab Global Communications Manager, South Africa; Astrid Ascar, Consultant & Trainer, South Africa; Catherine Gicheru, Country Lead, Code for Kenya, ICFJ Knight Fellow, Kenya; Dapo Olorunyomi, Premium Times Newspaper Publisher and CEO, Nigeria; Herman Manson, Founder and editor, MarkLives.com, South Africa; Jude Mathurine, Independent consultant & New Media lecturer, Media and Communications Department, Nelson Mandela University, South Africa; Murithi Mutiga, International Crisis Group Horn of Africa Project Director, Kenya; Anna Nimiriano, Juba Monitor Editor in Chief, South Sudan; Angela Quintal, Committee to Protect Journalists Africa Program Coordinator, USA; Chris Roper Deputy CEO at Code For Africa, South Africa; Gus Silber, Award-winning journalist, author, scriptwriter, speechwriter and media trainer, South Africa; and Nomusa Taylor-Dube, Senior Strategy Consultant, Kenya.

This year’s winners for the 2019 African Digital Media Awards are:

Best Data Visualisation – Dominion, Code for Africa, South Africa. Runners-up: News24 elections: live data coverage, Media24, South Africa

Digital News Start-up- Farmers for Change, Food for Mzansi, South Africa. Runner-up: The Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh Xperience (#SMWX), The Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh Xperience, South Africa

Best Digital Project to Engage Younger and / or Millennial Audiences - M&G 200 Young South Africans, Mail & Guardian, South Africa. Runners-up: Netwerk24 Die Student, 24.com, South Africa

Best Native Advertising / Branded Content Campaign – The Anthem Project, 24.com, The Anthem Project, South Africa. Runner-up: I'm a First Grader, Media24, South Africa

Best News Website or Mobile Service – Daily Maverick, Daily Maverick - South Africa. Runner-up: Netwerk24.com, 24.com - South Africa

Best Paid Content Strategy (incl. pay wall, membership or crowd funding models) - 2019 – Maverick Insider, Daily Maverick, South Africa. Runner-up: Vrye Weekblad, Tiso Blackstar Group (Pty) Ltd, South Africa

Best Use of Online Video (including VR) - Buried Truth: Unearthing the story of murdered farmworker Adam Pieterse, News24, Media24 - South Africa. Runner-up: How a gifted young girl was kidnapped and murdered: The Siam Lee story, Tiso Blackstar Group (Pty) Ltd, South Africa

Best in Social Media Engagement - BBC Media Action Arewa Facebook page, BBC Media Action – Nigeria. Runner-up: Food for Mzansi, Farmers for Change, South Africa

The winners of the African Digital Media Awards are automatically entered into the World Digital Media Awards competition, to be announced in Spain during the World News Media Congress on June 17-19, 2020.