BBC Online News and Guardian Unlimited humbled in online journalism awards

The big-budget new media giants BBC News Online and the Guardian Unlimited once again dominated the European Online Journalism Awards this month but found themselves outclassed in key categories by relatively small-fry competitors.

Doubts about the credibility of the online awards soon vanished as the category winners took to the stage in the Mermaid Theatre in London's Blackfriars. Despite being the best-funded and staffed online news operations on this side of the Atlantic, the two media behemoths failed to win the most prestigious prizes - to the obvious delight of the impartial members of the audience.

The best overall journalism service went to Aftenposten Multimedia for their Oslopuls website rounding off a hugely successful evening for Norwegian online journalists. Fotball Spesial scooped the sports prize and Norwegian sites were nominated for two other awards.

Internet Journalist of the Year was picked up by Dave Green of ntk.net - the hugely successful and disrespectful news column that tours the new media looking for interesting anecdotes. Mr Green insisted that the site's entry for the category 'journalist of the year' was a mistake and that his partners were just as worthy. In the rush to the podium to take the prize, one of his partners fell headlong on the stage.

The prize for oustanding contribution to online journalism in Europe went to the Prague-based online news service for Eastern and Central Europe Transitions Online and the prize for best innovation in online journalism was won by Sky News Online for their pop-up papers feature.

Best news design and navigation was scooped by foto8.com while best general news presentation went to BBC News Online.

BBC News Online picked up the prizes for best news story broken on the net, the science category and the business and economics category. Guardian Unlimited took best news story, best investigative reporting and the travel category. It also won the prize for best use of mobile connectivity.

The ground-breaking technology news site based in Dublin - ElectricNews.net - was joint winner for best use of multimedia. Its co-winner was the 'people's online magazine' in Spain - en.red.ando - for the development of a space for debate and reflection on new forms f communication. The Enredando site has an English version.

The evironment category was won by the New Scientist and the music and entertainment category was taken by DR Online for its Strauss section.

The conference organiser - Milverton Wallace - was keen to congratulate two students from the Danish School of Journalism who had their work shortlisted for best feature story. This category was won by the Helsingin Sanomat Online Edition.

A full list of the winners and those shortlisted can be found on the NetMedia website.

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