The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) podcast LIK Hour, created by Dahnyelle Dymytrov, won the online journalism award of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists (UBJ) at a ceremony in Plovdiv.
The award was presented at the Boris Hristov House of Culture.
The UBJ’s annual awards ceremony for professional excellence took place outside the capital for the first time, marking the centenary of organized journalism in Plovdiv.
“It is no coincidence that this year’s annual awards ceremony is taking place in Plovdiv. The centenary of organized journalism in the city was celebrated the previous day, and we attended the unveiling of an installation on Journalist Square dedicated to the difficult path of journalists, not only in Plovdiv but throughout Bulgaria. We thank our hosts and our colleagues from the city’s four branches, who proposed holding our annual celebration here to honour our finest colleagues,” UBJ Managing Board Chair Snezhana Todorova said in her welcome address. “This always takes place ahead of the Day of the National Awakeners on November 1, which, as everyone knows, is also Bulgarian journalists’ professional holiday,” she added.
The regional media category, recognizing reporting that attracted wide public interest, honoured Focus TV in Sevlievo, Balchishki Telegraf Editor-in-Chief Marusya Kostova and Forum magazine.
Mariela Hubinova of Bulgarian National Television (BNT) in Plovdiv received the award for a national media correspondent working in Bulgaria.
The photojournalism award went to Dimitar Kyosemarliev of Investor.bg and Bulgaria on Air.
Yordan Gergov won the graphic design award for the concept and visual identity of Chernomorski Far newspaper, while BNT’s Miglena Gaydarova was honoured for camera work.
The Bulgarian media abroad award went to camera operator Svilen Grigorov and reporter Tanya Georgieva of BBR TV in London, United Kingdom.
Nova TV’s Italy correspondent Antoaneta Nikolova received the Bulgarian correspondent abroad award for objective and accurate reporting on events and developments in her host country.
Prof. Maria Popova won the journalism research award for her monograph Media Functions and Media Effects.
Zhaneta Yordanova was honoured in the documentary journalism and commentary category for her study Botev’s School in Bucharest.
Stalbata magazine received the print journalism award.
The radio journalism award went to Elena Krushkova of Bulgarian National Radio in Plovdiv.
Television journalism awards went to BNT’s Adelina Radeva, Nova TV’s Tatyana Yordanova for investigative reporting, and Nova TV’s To Catch the Forest programme, hosted by Galya Shtarbeva.
Antoan Zlatkov of bTV, Stanislava Gateva of Bulgaria on Air and Martin Kerefeyski of Nova TV were recognized in the Best Young Journalist category.
Special plaques and honours went to Polski Trambesh newspaper on its 20th anniversary and Radio Stara Zagora on its 90th anniversary. Elena Chimeva of BNT in Blagoevgrad received a posthumous award.
Ivan Gaytandzhiev received the Yosif Herbst grand prize for lifetime contribution to contemporary Bulgarian journalism. Created by Ivan Prodev, the sculpture features a crown of thorns at its base and a laurel wreath at the top. In his acceptance speech, Gaytandzhiev said every profession was useful and valuable. “But our profession is especially valuable because it has a calling. It is bound, duty-bound, to serve humanity through its truthfulness, objectivity, integrity, credibility and high moral standards,” he said. Journalists should explain not only when, where and what happened, but also why, he added. “We need to say what can be expected, what will happen and why it will happen, what is good for us and what is wrong,” Gaytandzhiev said. He quoted former US president John F. Kennedy’s words, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country,” describing them as his own motto in life.
Musicians from the Prof. Asen Diamandiev Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts of Plovdiv paid tribute to the UBJ award winners.
