Journalists' Association presents 2026 Excellence Awards, honoring “Ir” staff among winners
The Latvian Journalists' Association presented its annual Excellence Awards on the evening of September 4 at the NOASS art centre, selecting winners in nine categories from 180 submitted works. Journalists from the magazine “Ir” were among those honored.
On the evening of September 4, the Latvian Journalists' Association (LŽA) held its annual Excellence Awards ceremony at the NOASS art centre in Riga, recognizing outstanding and socially significant journalistic work. This year the competition received 180 entries, evaluated by a jury elected at the association's general meeting, representing five media outlets and chaired by TV3's Andrejs Mēters.
Winning works
In the "News/Report" category, the award went to Luīze Lote Āboltiņa and Pauls Raudseps of the magazine "Ir". The "Interview" category was won by Latvian Radio journalist Aidis Tomsons, while the "Feature" award went to a group of Latvian Public Media authors for a documentary film. TV3's "Nekā personīga" journalist Ilze Jaunalksne-Rēdere was recognized for an investigative series, and Sanita Karavoičika of the newspaper "Vaduguns" received the regional journalism award. LETA's Rūta Kesnere won "Debunker of the Year", while LETA photographer Edijs Pālens received the "Golden Frame" award. DELFI journalist Anna Apīne was named "Young Journalist of the Year", and Iveta Lepeško received the "Editor of the Year" award.
Special awards
Skaidrīte Lasmane received the Inta Brikše Award for lifetime contribution to journalism, while Laine Skvorcova was given a special "Courage" award. Another special award, recognizing coverage of the war in Ukraine, went to several journalists and camera operators who reported from near the front lines under wartime conditions.
