SND is proud to announce the three winners of World’s Best Designed in its Digital and Print News Design Competitions: The New York Times, DIE ZEIT and Reuters.
Reuters named World’s Best Designed in the Digital News Design Competition
A panel of 20 judges from the Society for News Design’s 44th edition creative competition, the Best of Digital News Design, has selected Reuters as the World’s Best-Designed Digital News Experience for coverage of the future of biodiversity.
The judges recognized Reuters for their wide range of impeccable work, “Reuters’ package shows a wide range of different forms and techniques in visual storytelling. I especially appreciate how they treat the entire web page as a large canvas to tell visual stories.”
Another judge wrote, “The Reuters staff has shown that they can use a variety of techniques and styles, and they can use them well. Each design feels fresh and specific to the story.”
Reuters’ portfolio highlighted stories about biodiversity, including the collapse of insects, why plants matter, drone technology to combat plant extinction and the extinction crisis.
Judges also thought the coverage was essential, “Reuters’s series on the future of biodiversity is original and intriguing. It takes a type of coverage that is in some ways saturated, and yet manages to make it unique to an extent where the reader is engaged without ever feeling overwhelmed or bored. This type of journalism is extremely important.”
The Best of Digital News Design™ is a juried contest honoring visual and technical excellence in storytelling, graphics, social media and product design. The competition awarded 6 gold medals, 33 silver medals, 93 bronze medals and 530 awards of excellence. The winners came from 1,860 entries, and you can find a full database of the winners here.
DIE ZEIT and The New York Times named World’s Best Designed Newspaper
After three days of discussion, judges in the Society for News Design’s 44th Best of Print News Design competition have selected DIE ZEIT and The New York Times as World’s Best Designed. Four newspapers were named finalists for the Society’s top honor. Judges with a conflict of interest in publication were not involved in the conversations regarding that publication’s elevation to a finalist or winner for World’s Best Designed.
The judges said:
DIE ZEIT
DIE ZEIT’s creativity and cleverness are consistently on display. Inventive concepts are found throughout the pages. From showstopper typographic illustrations, to the tiny illustrative details that adorn their initial caps, DIE ZEIT never misses an opportunity to delight. The juxtaposition of large amounts of text with judicious white space makes long form stories approachable. Neat and spacious layouts appear even on pages with difficult ad placements. DIE ZEIT displays masterful execution in details large and small. The typography is elegant. The photos are tightly edited for impact and tone. Information graphics are clear and concise. A controlled color palette is used to great effect. All of which represent an overall wisdom and restraint that allows visuals to shine. With clever design that communicates and resonates. DIE ZEIT does everything right.
The New York Times
The New York Times design harnesses an incredible wealth of deep and diverse journalism. From artfully made pages intended to teach, engage and delight children to poignant portraits from family members highlighting stories of children who fell victim to gun violence, the paper has an impressive design approach that enables them to craft solutions appropriate to the mood, tone and mission of the content. A restrained typographical approach allows visual treatments and ideas to leap forward such as clever illustrations with clear concepts, impactful photojournalism and information graphics that analyze and explain our world. Their elegant and timeless typography is instantly recognizable as The New York Times. Their depth of knowledge and commitment to storytelling shows on every page.
The judges for this year’s World’s Best Designed Newspaper were:
- Tonia Cowan, Wall Street Journal
- Beto Alvarez, Los Angeles Times
- Mie Brinkmann, Weekendavisen
- Joe Hutchinson, Rolling Stone
- Mary Jane Callister, New York Times
The competition ended with the judges awarding 17 gold medals, 74 silver medals and 926 awards of excellence. No Best in Show was awarded. You can find the complete database of winners from this year’s competition here.