Recognizing innovation in the Middle East’s digital publishing industry
Saudi Research & Publishing Co. took home 10 of WAN-IFRA’s Middle East Digital Media Awards for 2017. Of the 10 awards, four were for 1st place, including in the Best in Lifestyle, Sports or Entertainment category, where the company made a clean sweep, winning all three places.Three other publishing houses each came away with five awards: UAE-based Al Bayan, publishers of Al Bayan newspaper; UAE-based Galadari Printing and Publishing Company, publishers of Khaleej Times; and Muscat Media Group, Oman, publishers of Times of Oman.
All regional winners are subsequently entered into competition for the WAN-IFRA’s annual World Digital Media Awards, to be presented during WAN-IFRA’s Digital Content Expo to be held in Berlin on 10-12 October 2017.
Categories and winners
Best News Website
1st: Galadari Printing & Publishing (LLC), UAE: Khaleej Times website
2nd: Muscat Media Group, Oman: Timesofoman.com
3rd: Dar Al-Sharq Newspaper, Qatar: The Peninsula Qatar News Portal
Best in Lifestyle, Sports or Entertainment Website
1st: Saudi Research & Publishing Co., UAE: Hiamag.com
2nd: Saudi Research & Publishing Co., UAE: Sayidy.net
3rd: Saudi Research & Publishing Co., UAE: Sayidaty.net
Best Use of Online Video
1st: Al Bayan, UAE:Al Bayan TV
2nd: Muscat Media Group, Oman: Times TV
3rd: Al Bayan, UAE: The House of Sheikhs
Best Data Visualization
1st: Muscat Media Group, Oman: Timesofoman.com/extra/frankincense
2nd: Al Bayan, UAE: The House of Sheikhs
3rd: Al Bayan, UAE: H.H Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed initiatives..Creations made for the future
Best News Mobile Service
1st: Dar Al-Sharq Newspaper, Qatar: Al Sharq Newspaper Mobile Application (Augmented Reality)
2nd: Galadari Printing & Publishing (LLC), UAE: Khaleej Times Mobile news
3rd: Muscat Media Group, Oman: timesofoman.com mobile
Best Lifestyle, Sports or Entertainment Mobile Service
1st: Saudi Research & Publishing Co., UAE: Aljamila.com fashion and beauty website
2nd: Galadari Printing & Publishing (LLC), UAE: Khaleej Times interactive Sports
3rd: Saudi Research & Publishing Co., UAE: Sayidaty new Mobile Applications – For lifestyle news and entertainment
Best Innovation New Product
1st: Saudi Research & Publishing Co., UAE: Hia Boutique
2nd: Saudi Research & Publishing Co., UAE: Sayidaty Mall
3rd: Al Bayan, UAE: “refkat kotob” (with the company of books)
Best in Social Media Engagement
1st: Saudi Research & Publishing Co., UAE: Sayidaty.net on Snapchat
2nd: Saudi Research & Publishing Co., UAE: “Feed them right” – Sayidaty Kitchen Social Awareness campaign
3rd: Muscat Media Group, Oman: timesofoman.com social media
Best Digital Advertising Campaign
1st: Galadari Printing & Publishing (LLC), UAE: Khaleej Times Digital Campaign Glow Garden
2nd: Saudi Research & Publishing Co., UAE Project: Muse-Estee Lauder and Sayidaty women empowerment campaign
3rd: Galadari Printing & Publishing (LLC), UAE: Khaleej Times Digital Campaign for Aseel