The 2025 Local Media Digital Innovation Awards are now open, recognizing the people, projects, and strategies pushing local media forward through creativity, technology, and community impact.
The awards honor standout work from calendar year 2025 across journalism, audience engagement, revenue, product innovation, and leadership. Thanks to contest sponsor Upland / Second Street, all entries are free to submit.
The deadline to enter is February 14, 2026.
If you’re considering an entry — or simply looking for ideas worth stealing — last year’s winners offer a clear picture of what strong, innovative work looks like.
What won in 2024 — and why it mattered
The 2024 Local Media Digital Innovation Awards celebrated news organizations redefining what’s possible through smart strategy, creative execution, and deep community connection. The year also marked a milestone with the introduction of a new category recognizing breakthroughs in artificial intelligence.
From transformative newsroom tools to standout storytelling and revenue innovation, these honorees set the bar for what’s working in local media right now.
Below is a full list of 2024 winners, each linked to a deeper profile — and packed with ideas for anyone planning to enter this year’s competition:
The year’s best local media promotions: What worked, what won and why
Bethany Lane, QCity Metro, has been named Digital Innovator of the Year by Local Media Association
Bay City News and NewsBreak win inaugural AI awards at 2024 LMA Digital Innovation Awards
Digital Innovation Awards: Best R&D Partner award honors innovation collaboration and results
LMA Digital Innovation Awards: The year’s best ideas in revenue and sponsorship
LMA Digital Innovation Awards: The year’s best in innovative content
How 7 local newsrooms used newsletters to drive big growth, revenue and reader loyalty
Editor’s note: This story was enhanced using artificial intelligence to combine and reorganize content from two previously published articles.