The Asian Digital Media Awards were first launched in 2009 to recognise news media organisations which have adopted digital media and mobile strategies in response to how people consume news and information today. One hundred and forty entries were received in this year’s competition. All regional winners are automatically entered into WAN-IFRA’s World Digital Media Awards competition.

Singapore Press Holdings emerged the biggest winner at this year’s Asian Digital Media Awards, with a haul of three Golds and two Silvers. These were for:

●    Best in Lifestyle, Sports, Entertainment Website or Mobile Services (Gold)
●    Best in Audience Engagement (Gold)
●    Best News Website or Mobile Service (Gold)
●    Best News Website or Mobile Service (Silver)
●    Best Project for News Literacy (Silver)

South China Morning Post came in a close second place with four wins, comprising three Golds and one Silver in the following categories:

●    Best Special Project for Covid-19 (Gold)
●    Best Native Advertising/Branded Content Campaign (Gold)
●    Best Use of Online Video (including VR) (Gold)
●    Best Data Visualisation (Silver).

NEW SPECIAL AWARD

A New Special Award for small/medium publishers went to AsiaOne, Eco-Business, JX Press Corporation and kumparan. This Award recognises smaller media companies with an annual revenue of less than US$10M which produce quality work, replacing the Bronze award in each category previously.  Such companies compete in each category in the same way as the large companies. However should they not win a Gold or Silver award in that category, the highest-scoring small/medium publisher will be awarded a Special Award instead.

The four small-medium publishers received their Special Awards in these categories:

●    Best News Website or Mobile Service – AsiaOne (Singapore)
●    Best Use of Online Video (including VR) – Eco-Business (Singapore)
●    Best Native Advertising/Branded Content Campaign – Eco-Business (Singapore)
●    Best Special Project for Covid-19 – JX Press Corporation (Japan)
●    Best in Audience Engagement – kumparan (Indonesia)
●    Best Marketing Campaign for News Brand – kumparan (Indonesia).

Here is the full list of winners for the ten categories:

Best News Website or Mobile Service
Gold: ThinkChina.sg by Chinese Media Group, Singapore Press Holdings.
Silver: 70 Years of Waiting by Chinese Media Group, Singapore Press Holdings.
Special Award: GE2020 by Asiaone Online (Singapore).

Best in Lifestyle, Sports, Entertainment Website or Mobile Services
Gold: How The Straits Times uncovered a love scammer’s 3-month ruse by The Straits. Times, Singapore Press Holdings.
Silver: Yummy by IDN Media (Indonesia).

Best in Audience Engagement
Gold: Zaobao Rewards Loyalty Programme by Chinese Media Group, Singapore Press Holdings.
Silver: IDN Times by IDN Media (Indonesia).
Special Award: Home of Premier League by kumparan (Indonesia).

Best Use of Online Video (including VR)
Gold: On the ‘Front Line’ with Hong Kong protesters by South China Morning Post (Hong Kong).
Silver: 1.17 – 25 Years Since that Day by Asahi Shimbun (Japan).
Special Award: Changing Course: On This Earth by Eco-Business (Singapore)

Best Data Visualisation
Gold: Drowning in Plastic by Reuters (Singapore)
Silver: Cantonese Performing Art by South China Morning Post (Hong Kong).

Best Native Advertising/Branded Content Campaign
Gold: Uncover Art Macao by South China Morning Post (Hong Kong).
Silver: IDN Creative: Yummy x Indomilk – Limitless Recipes by IDN Media (Indonesia).
Special Award: Changing Course 2019: An Exploration of Our Climate Crisis by Eco-Business (Singapore).

Best Paid Content Strategy (including paywall, membership or crowdfunding models)
Gold: News that’s Worth Paying For by Apple Daily (Hong Kong).
Silver: Stuff Supporter Programme by Stuff (New Zealand).

Best Marketing Campaign for News Brand 
Gold: Uncovering the Trust, Confronting Injustice by Apple Daily (Hong Kong).
Silver: CNA Celebrate Asia by Mediacorp (Singapore).
Special Award: kumparanWOMAN by kumparan (Indonesia).

Best Project for News Literacy (new category)
Gold: Fight Against Fake News – Innovative Ideas and Effective Actions by Vietnam News Agency.
Silver: You Ask, We Answer: Questions About a Pandemic by The Straits Times, Singapore Press Holdings.

Best Special Project for Covid-19 (new category)
Gold: Coronavirus Pandemic microsite by South China Morning Post (Hong Kong).
Silver: Explaining Covid-19 by Reuters (Singapore).
Special Award: Map of the Latest Covid-19 Outbreaks in Japan by JX Press Corporation.

More about the Asian Digital Media Awards can be found at www.wan-ifra.org/adma