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Image Credit: Gulf News

Dubai: All talk about the imminent death of print is just that -- talk -- and perhaps for centuries to come.

So said media experts at the Middle East's first digital media awards here on Wednesday night where Gulf News (Al Nisr Publishing) bagged six honours for its online platforms. 

The event, organised by the prestigious WAN-IFRA, a global association of news organisations wih a 110-year-old history, saw numerous digital media awards being handed over to news organisations from the region for the first time.

Gulf News brought home six awards (1 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze) out of the dozens handed out in several categories.

Leading media executives and academics at the event pointed out that newspapers in particular have unmatched credibility, an important "currency" which the free-for-all social media platforms lack.

Newspapers sell not just content, but convenience and delight and not just the news but helping improve people's lives. Online news sites, they said, merely extend the capacity of the printed medium to transport hearts and minds to a world of discovery-- taking advantage of the unmatched reach and richness of digital content. 

Mechthild Schimpf, WAN-IFRA director for Middle East, said: "We think printed news is not going away for many years to come, just as books have never really become obsolete."

WAN-INRA, a 110-year-old non-profit based both in Germany and France, started the digital media awards in Asia in 2010, brought it to Europe in 2011 and then to Latin America in 2015.

"Now, it's in the Middle East. The award is a quality and innovation-oriented platform that recognizes pioneering work to help bring out the best in the digital media arena in this region."

S.M. Arshad, Design Editor of Gulf News, said: "Being the first event of its kind to recognise good digital content in this region, the WAN-IFRA award is a great platform that will spur more creativity and competiton. And more competiton means better experience for the audiences across all media platforms."

Bradley Freeman, Associate professor of media at the American University in Dubai who was at the event, said though the award recognises the value of digital media, any discussion about the death of traditional media is irrelevant.

"It's still about quality and compelling content -- as well as convergence," said Freeman, "not about the survival of particular mediums per se. We're seeing all the mediums are trying to find their way into the digital world. Print media is historically very good at archiving and they have the credibility."

Gulf News bagged the gold for best new web product award for its GNTECH.AE platform,  an online gadget review site.

Gareth Kurt Warren, online editor of GNTECH.ae, said:  "We are really honoured to win the award for best new product so soon after our launch.  We put a lot of passion into the site and believe our love of all things tech come across on screen."

Gulfnews.com was also recognised for its various campaigns such as the Ramadan digital guide and  ‘Behind the Wire’, a fascinating interactive package about the notorious US prison facility in Guantanamo, Cuba, which Washington now plans to shut down.


WAN-IFRA

The World Association of Newspapers (WAN) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation made up of 76 national newspaper associations, 12 news agencies, 10 regional press organisations, and many individual newspaper executives in over 100 countries. The association was founded in 1948, and, as of 2011, represented more than 18,000 publications globally.

WAN aims to promote freedom of the press, support the development of newspaper publishing, and foster global co-operation. It has provided consultation for UNESCO, the United Nations, and the Council of Europe.

In July 2009, WAN merged with IFRA, the research and service organisation for the news publishing industry, to become the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).

 

What we won:

WAN-IFRA Middle East Digital Media Awards
(Wednesday, February 24, The One & Only Royal Mirage Dubai, Arabian Court

1st Place – Best New Product (GNtech.ae)

2nd Place – Best use of online Video

2nd Place – Best Digital Advertising Campaign (Ramadan, A time to reflect, reference guide)

3rd Place – Best News Website

3rd Place – Best Digital Advertising Campaign ("Behind the Wire: An interactive tour of Guantanamo Prison”)

3rd Place – Best use of online Video

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Image Credit: Gulf News
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Group shot of the Gulf News team with Editor-in-Chief Abdul Hamid Ahmad at the WAN-IFRA awards on Wednesday in Dubai Image Credit: Gulf News
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Gulf News designers Dywnn Trazo and Jacob Hernandez receive the award from Michael Golden, Senior vice President of WAN-IFRA. Image Credit: Jay B. Hilotin
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Gulf News Design Director Miguel Gomez receives an award from New York Times VP Michael Golden, who is also WAN-IFRA's senior vice president. Image Credit: Gulf News
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