Congratulations to the finalists of the 2026 Online Journalism Awards
The Online News Association (ONA) is proud to announce the finalists in the 2026 Online Journalism Awards (OJAs), the premier global prizes that have set the bar for excellence and innovation in digital journalism since 2000.
Volunteer screeners and judges representing a diverse cross-section of the industry reviewed and selected the finalist projects. In the General Excellence category, the finalist organizations across four newsroom sizes include Bellingcat, Block Club Chicago, Civil Eats, Grist, Jacksonville Today, LA NACION, Local News International, Mission Local, The New York Times, ProPublica, The Pudding, The Seattle Times and The Verge.
For the 2026 OJAs, four awards come with a total of $36,000 in prize money, courtesy of The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication’s Agora Journalism Center, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Aspen Digital, a program of the Aspen Institute. These awards honor community-centered journalism, investigative data journalism, service journalism and general excellence.
Winners in 16 of the 28 categories of the 2026 OJAs will be announced Thursday, Sept. 3, at 2 p.m. EDT, during a virtual awards event hosted by ONA Executive Director/CEO Niketa Patel, Deputy Director Hanaa Rifaey, and 2025 Founder Award recipient Robert Hernandez. RSVP for the virtual event.
- Breaking News
- Digital Video Storytelling
- Excellence in AI Innovation
- Excellence in Collaboration and Partnerships
- Excellence in Science Reporting
- Excellence in Social Justice Reporting
- Excellence in Sports Reporting
- Excellence in Technology Reporting
- Explanatory Reporting
- Feature
- Innovation in Revenue Strategy
- Online Commentary
- Student Journalism Award
- The Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award
- Topical Reporting: Artificial Intelligence
- Topical Reporting: Gender and Identity
Winners in the remaining set of categories will be announced Thursday, October 1, at City Winery in New York City at the Online Journalism Awards Celebration. Tickets and tables are available for purchase.
The ceremony will also celebrate the 2026 recipients of two individual honors, the Impact Award and the Rich Jaroslovsky Founder Award.
Full list of 2026 finalists
The honorees in the 2026 OJAs represent some of the most ambitious, courageous and impactful work in the field. Explore all of the finalist projects.
Breaking News, Large Newsroom
- Minnesota Star Tribune
- The New York Times
- The Globe and Mail
- The Boston Globe
Breaking News, Small/Medium Newsroom
- The Seattle Times
- Vermont Public
- NJ Advance Media
Digital Video Storytelling, Long Form, Large Newsroom
- NBC News Digital
- BBC News
- JW Standard, Bloomberg Originals, DCTV and Jolt.film
- FRONTLINE (PBS), The Washington Post, Evident Media and Bellingcat
- Business Insider
Digital Video Storytelling, Long Form, Small/Medium Newsroom
- ProPublica
- TelevisaUnivision and elDiario.es
Digital Video Storytelling, Series, Large Newsroom
- Business Insider
- ProPublica
- The New York Times
Digital Video Storytelling, Series, Small/Medium Newsroom
- Bellingcat
- ProPublica
Digital Video Storytelling, Short Form, Large Newsroom
- NBC News Digital
- Mongabay
Digital Video Storytelling, Short Form, Small/Medium Newsroom
- Retro Report
- Economic Hardship Reporting Project
- ProPublica
Digital Video Storytelling, Social Media, Large Newsroom
- The Economist
- New York Times Opinion Shows
Digital Video Storytelling, Social Media, Small/Medium Newsroom
- Local News International
- National Geographic
- ProPublica
Excellence in AI Innovation, Large Newsroom
- The Wall Street Journal
- UC Berkeley School of Journalism's Investigative Reporting Program
- Bloomberg Industry Group
- The New York Times
Excellence in AI Innovation, Small Newsroom
- HEATDRAWN Media
- Clif
- Enlace Latino NC
Excellence in Audio Digital Storytelling, Daily/Weekly News
- CBC News
- Southern California Public Radio
Excellence in Audio Digital Storytelling, Limited Series
- Toronto Star
- CBC Podcasts
- The Wall Street Journal
- Aoide Media
Excellence in Audio Digital Storytelling, Ongoing Series
- Meadowlark Media
- ESPN
- Marketplace
Excellence in Audio Digital Storytelling, Use of Audio Storytelling
- National Geographic
- Chicago Public Media
- Radio Ambulante
Excellence in Collaboration and Partnerships
- Forbidden Stories
- NBC News Digital
- The Examination
Excellence in Newsletters, Portfolio
- LOOKOUT
- The Boston Globe
Excellence in Newsletters, Single Newsletter
- The Boston Globe
- CALMATTERS
- Vermont Public
- 19th News
Excellence in Science Reporting, Large Newsroom
- Bloomberg News
- LA NACION
- NIKKEI
- The Globe and Mail
Excellence in Science Reporting, Small/Medium Newsroom
- The Xylom
- Howard Center at Arizona State University and Scripps News
- Verite News
- ProPublica
- Scientific American
Excellence in Social Justice Reporting, Portfolio
- Injustice Watch and Investigative Project on Race and Equity
- The Record / NorthJersey.com
- The Chicago Tribune
- Hearst Connecticut Media Group
Excellence in Social Justice Reporting, Single Story
- Spotlight PA
- Alabama Film Project LLC
- Mississippi Today
- International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
- The Oregonian/OregonLive
Excellence in Social Media Engagement, Large Newsroom
- CBC News
- Associated Press
- NBC News
- The Economist
Excellence in Social Media Engagement, Medium Newsroom
- NJ Advance Media
- MPR News
- The Philadelphia Inquirer
Excellence in Social Media Engagement, Small Newsroom
- Local News International
- Verite News
- Injustice Watch
- Mississippi Today
Excellence in Sports Reporting
- Meadowlark Media
Excellence in Sports Reporting, Small/Medium Newsroom
- NJ Advance Media
Excellence in Technology Reporting, Large Newsroom
- Reuters
- The Wall Street Journal
- The Washington Post
Excellence in Technology Reporting, Medium Newsroom
- WIRED
- MIT Technology Review
- ProPublica
Excellence in Technology Reporting, Small Newsroom
- Technical.ly
- InvestigateWest
- GamersNexus, LLC
'Excellence in Visual Digital Storytelling, Large Newsroom
- The Asahi Shimbun
- Al Jazeera Media Network
- NIKKEI
- Reuters
Excellence in Visual Digital Storytelling, Medium Newsroom
- National Geographic
- The Verge
- ProPublica
- National Geographic
- San Francisco Chronicle
Excellence in Visual Digital Storytelling, Small Newsroom
- Bellingcat
- Ambiental Media
- The Pudding
Explanatory Reporting, Large Newsroom
- The Washington Post
- Bloomberg Law and NBC News
- The Washington Post
Explanatory Reporting, Medium Newsroom
- CALMATTERS
- ProPublica
- San Francisco Chronicle
- Verite News and Grist
Explanatory Reporting, Small Newsroom
- Wisconsin Watch
- Public Health Watch
- Spotlight PA
- The 74 Media
- Minnesota Reformer
Feature, Large Newsroom
- The New York Times
- NBC News Digital
- The New York Times
- The Globe and Mail
- LA NACION
Feature, Medium Newsroom
- Mississippi Today
- The Seattle Times
- ProPublica
- WIRED
Feature, Small Newsroom
- The Margin
- TelevisaUnivision
- Amazon Underworld
Gather Award in Community-Centered Journalism, Overall Excellence, Community-Based & Rural Focus
- Gulf States Newsroom
- LA NACION
- Grist
Gather Award in Community-Centered Journalism, Overall Excellence, Urban & National Focus
- Block Club Chicago
- LAist
- ProPublica
- The LA Local and Boyle Heights Beat
General Excellence in Online Journalism, Large Newsroom
- LA NACION
- The New York Times
General Excellence in Online Journalism, Medium Newsroom
- ProPublica
- The Verge
- The Seattle Times
General Excellence in Online Journalism, Micro Newsroom
- Jacksonville Today
- Local News International
- The Pudding
- Civil Eats
General Excellence in Online Journalism, Small Newsroom
- Bellingcat
- Block Club Chicago
- Grist
- Mission Local
Innovation in Revenue Strategy, Large Newsroom
- Minnesota Star Tribune
Innovation in Revenue Strategy, Medium Newsroom
- The Kyiv Independent
Knight Award for Public Service
- Reuters
- The New York Times
- Minnesota Star Tribune
Online Commentary, Package of Columns
- The Verge
- AL.com
Online Commentary, Personal Narrative
- The Lens NOLA
- Zeteo News
- The Globe and Mail
Student Journalism Award
- WUFT.org at the UF College of Journalism and Communications
- KERA North Texas Public Broadcasting
- WUFT.org at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications
The Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award, Large Newsroom
- The New York Times
- The Examination and The New York Times
- Bloomberg News
- Reuters
The Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award, Medium Newsroom
- ProPublica
- San Francisco Chronicle
- The Seattle Times
- Houston Chronicle
The Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award, Small Newsroom
- Amazon Underworld
- Spotlight PA
- Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland
The University of Florida Award in Investigative Data Journalism, Large Newsroom
- Bloomberg News
- The Wall Street Journal
- The Boston Globe
- Business Insider
The University of Florida Award in Investigative Data Journalism, Small/Medium Newsroom
- ProPublica
- Mississippi Today
Topical Reporting: Artificial Intelligence, Large Newsroom
- Bloomberg News
- The Boston Globe
Topical Reporting: Artificial Intelligence, Medium Newsroom
- Hearst Connecticut Media Group
- San Francisco Chronicle
- MIT Technology Review
- The Verge
Topical Reporting: Artificial Intelligence, Micro Newsroom
- Indicator
- Local News International
- Kaleidoscope
Topical Reporting: Artificial Intelligence, Small Newsroom
- The Conversation Australia and New Zealand
- Rest of World
- KNKX
Topical Reporting: Gender and Identity, Large Newsroom
- The Globe and Mail
- NPR
- NBC News
- Deutsche Welle
- GBH News
Topical Reporting: Gender and Identity, Medium Newsroom
- ProPublica
- The Verge
- WIRED
Topical Reporting: Gender and Identity, Small Newsroom
- Futuro Media Group
- The Conversation Australia and New Zealand
- Openly (Thomson Reuters Foundation)
Topical Reporting: Immigration, Large Newsroom
- ProPublica
- The Wall Street Journal
- The Washington Post
- The Boston Globe
- Los Angeles Times
Topical Reporting: Immigration, Medium Newsroom
- CALMATTERS
- Chalkbeat
- The 19th News
- WIRED
- KXAN
Topical Reporting: Immigration, Small Newsroom
- Block Club Chicago
- Mission Local
- The City
- Arizona Luminaria
- WLRN
Note: Judges were recused from reviewing and discussing entries from their own organizations.
Thank you, judges
Judges for the OJAs are senior-level journalism professionals. They review semi-finalist submissions, as determined by screeners, and convene for live deliberation to determine the finalists and winners. Many judges have served as screeners in past years to build a clear understanding of the review process and the distinctions that make a journalism project OJA-worthy. Learn more about volunteering with the OJAs.