Nominees for the Young Journalism Award 2026 Announced

Vienna, September 9, 2026 – With its Young Journalism Award, FHWien der WKW supports aspiring journalists as they take their first steps into the profession and provides them with a platform to present their work to the media industry and a wider audience. The award recognizes outstanding work produced as part of journalism education or training in Austria. This year marks the eighth time the award will be presented by the Journalism & Media Management study programs at FHWien der WKW.

Professional and Committed Journalism

“Every year, the Young Journalism Award demonstrates the professionalism and commitment with which young journalists cover developments in society and the wide range of topics they explore,” says Daniela Süssenbacher, Head of Journalism & Media Management Study Programs at FHWien der WKW and Chair of the Jury. “The high quality of the submitted work demonstrates the potential of the next generation of media professionals. This makes me very confident about the future of journalism in our country.” 

Award Presentation in Four Categories 

The Young Journalism Award includes a €500 cash prize in each category and is presented with the generous support of DER STANDARD, KURIER and ORF.

The award is presented in four categories:

• Radio & Audio (sponsored by ORF)
• TV & Video (sponsored by ORF)
• Text (sponsored by DER STANDARD)
• Multimedia (sponsored by KURIER)

FHWien der WKW also presents a Special Award worth €500 in the category “Best Thesis”, selected from among all participants. In addition, the Österreichische Medienakademie (ÖMA) provides the winner with a place in one of its seminars.

All submitted entries are evaluated by an expert jury. Each category is judged by two representatives from the media industry together with the respective heads of subject areas at FHWien der WKW.

The winners of the Young Journalism Award 2026 will be announced at an award ceremony at FHWien der WKW on Monday, September 28, 2026, starting at 6 pm.

Registration for the award ceremony is available online:

Register now

The Nominees:

Category 1: Radio & Audio

• Magdalena Hronek, Simon Fuchs, Anika Skubacz, Leon Spachmann, Julia Stürmer: Beyond the Feed – A Journey Through Online Hate and Everyday Racism in Austria
• Paula Lucia Maier, Kilian Mayrhofer: TikTok Tunnelblick – 1# Schönheit
• Franziska Voithofer: Schattenseiten: Zwischen Rausch und Realität

Category 2: TV & Video

• Tobias Jaritz, Julia Schuhmacher, Alisa Schwarz, Lee Sommer, Nina Gölz, Lena Mittermayr, Mara Jaušovec: Im rechten Netz
• Laetitia Pfau, Miriam Fila: Frauen in der Musik
• Leon Spachmann, Xaver Schörghuber: Burnouts und geplatzte Reifen: So erlebt eine junge Frau die Wiener Tuning-Szene

Category 3: Text

• Nico Kammeritsch: Der Sog der Manosphere
• Lena Matuschik: Mit Kunst gegen Missstände der Modeindustrie
• Mario Pichler: Speed und Spachtel: Der Drogenkonsum auf Österreichs Baustellen nimmt zu

Category 4: Multimedia

• Christoph Bosnjak, Renja Natalia Prechtl, Zoriana Katola, Solomiia Stanovych, Signe Nielsen: Storyshelling: People who risk their lives to give others a voice
• Alexandra Klammer, Christina Janik, Mareike Gagel, Carolina Giesel: Unsichtbar krank, aber sichtbar stark – ein Leben mit ME/CFS
• Daria Reitsammer, Sarah Lechner, Elina Wazik, Nina Schlögl: „Ich weiß, dass er sie umgebracht hat“ – Der Vermisstenfall Maria O.

Special Award: Best Thesis

• Simon Altorff: „Brennpunkt“: Favoriten – Ein Radiofeature über die politische und mediale Konstruktion von „Brennpunkten“ in Wien
• Catrina Daly: Zwischen Leistung, Körper und Aufmerksamkeit. Frauenkörperbild im Sportjournalismus: die mediale Darstellung und Selbstpräsentation von Athletinnen
• Mario Pichler: Verschwörungsmythen in alternativen Medien. Die Berichterstattung von AUF1 zur österreichischen Nationalratswahl 2024
• Severin Weh: „Ich bin nicht queer, ich bin schwul“. Eine Kombinationsarbeit über queere Selbst- und Fremdzuschreibung in der medialen Debatte

Media assets:

For the eighth time, FHWien der WKW will present the Young Journalism Award on September 28, 2026, recognizing outstanding work by emerging journalistic talent.
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FHWien der WKW – University of Applied Sciences for Management & Communication

FHWien der WKW is Austria’s leading university of applied sciences for management and communication. Its Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs offer over 2,900 students a practical academic education. Two-thirds of the lecturers come directly from the business world. The close cooperation with local companies in teaching and research prepares students optimally for their careers. Since its foundation in 1994, FHWien der WKW has already produced more than 16,800 graduates. 

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Tel.: +43 (1) 476 77-5733
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