Novus Media’s digital news platform, NovaNews.co.za, has won Silver in the Best Emerging News Provider category at the WAN-IFRA 2026 African Digital Media Awards – one of global journalism’s top honors. The announcement came during the 11th edition of the awards, celebrating innovation and impact across the continent.
WAN-IFRA, the World Association of News Publishers, represents 3,000 news publishing companies and 18,000 publications in 120 countries. Its African Digital Media Awards recognise outlets that excel in creativity and public value, particularly in challenging information landscapes. The Best Emerging News Provider prize awards independent news creators showing strong credibility and originality.
NovaNews launched in July 2025, following Novus Media’s acquisition of 21 community newspaper titles from Media24 the previous November. We transformed these legacy print publications into a hyperlocal digital network, with a flagship site connecting 21 community websites. It delivers national and international news entirely free, without a paywall.
Community journalism thrives in digital era
“This recognition validates our vision: community journalism thrives in the digital era when it’s high-quality, independent, and accessible,” said Bettie Giliomee-Rossouw, Novus Media’s Head of Digital and Editorial Commissioning. “NovaNews exists to inform, engage, and empower local audiences – and this award confirms we are doing exactly that.”
The platform stands out for its map-based, geography-led navigation. Readers can seamlessly shift from international headlines to province-, town-, or community-specific stories, boosting discoverability of local content.
Designed for broad access, NovaNews offers bilingual publishing in Afrikaans and English with no registration required. It engages users across websites, Facebook, WhatsApp channels, Instagram, TikTok, and email newsletters. The platform’s sports vodcast, The Rugby Factory, surpassed 10,000 subscribers within two months of launch, further demonstrating the platform’s remarkable audience reach and engagement.
“Our diversity is our greatest strength. We are proving that hyperlocal journalism and digital innovation are not mutually exclusive – they are powerfully complementary,” added Giliomee-Rossouw.
