ONA Announces the 2020 Online Journalism Awards Finalists

By on September 1, 2020

The Online News Association (ONA) is honored to share the finalists for the 2020 Online Journalism Awards (OJAs).

Winners will be announced at virtual awards events throughout the 2020 Online News Association Conference (ONA20), Oct. 1–16. The conference will bring together some of digital media’s brightest minds — journalists, media executives, product teams, entrepreneurs and educators — for two weeks of learning, networking, inspiration and fun. The awards events will culminate in a closing ceremony on Oct. 16 to showcase and celebrate the impact of digital journalism. Register now to attend.

The 2020 Online Journalism Awards feature 42 prizes across 19 categories. This year’s competition introduced several exciting changes:

  • Excellence in Newsletters: This new award honors single email newsletters that serve as a conduit to delivering news and information.
  • Topical Reporting: Climate Change: This new award honors excellence in online journalism that covers climate change and its impact, including as it relates to science, policy, health, trade, agriculture, sports, business, insurance and a wide range of other facets of our daily lives.
  • Gather Award in Engaged Journalism: This award honors people, projects, and processes that center community needs and voices in the production of journalism. It was reimagined into two subcategories, one for overall excellence and the other for micro/small newsrooms.
  • Digital Video Storytelling: This award now includes four subcategories recognizing innovative video work in short form, medium form, long form and series.

This year’s OJAs also includes 13 awards with a total of $56,000 in prize money, made possible through the generous support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, SmartNews, McKinsey Publishing, the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, Journalism 360, the Gannett Foundation, and the Agora Journalism Center at the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication. These cash prize awards honor engaged journalism, data journalism, visual digital storytelling, investigative journalism, immersive storytelling, public service, technical innovation, student journalism and general excellence.

A group of 158 digital media professionals teamed up to screen 1,164 entries to determine semi-finalists. More than 70 judges representing a diverse cross-section of the industry then conferred to determine finalists and winners.

Explore all the 2020 finalists

Special thanks to the OJA Award sponsors: