2026 Australian IT Journalism Awards
Taking home a Lizzie is the ultimate accolade for technology journalists and communicators.
To enter you will need to present three to four stories, and we recommend also attaching supporting arguments and data to help the judges understand the context and background to your story.
All entrants to journalism categories will receive a complementary ticket to the event. These tickets are not transferable.
Coverage Awards
The Coverage Awards aim to recognise editorial quality by a team of journalists working for a single publication. These awards must include submissions from multiple journalists, excluding Best Independent, which is open to individual entries under a one-person publication.
The Consumer Technology Coverage Award recognises the publication that has delivered the most valuable and engaging content about consumer technology for consumers. This might include technology such as PCs, gadgets, the internet, digital culture and consumer electronics. It does not include gaming.
- Entries must include the work of more than one journalist
- Entrants should enter four stories (any form of content)
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the story for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production value and entertainment value.
The Gaming Coverage Award recognises the publication that has delivered the best content about gaming for gaming consumers and/or the gaming industry.
- Entries must include the work of more than one journalist
- Entrants should enter four stories (any form of content)
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the story for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production value and entertainment value.
The Business Coverage Award recognises the publication that has delivered the most effective coverage in meeting the information needs of a business audience. That can include business technology professionals such as CIOs, IT professionals, and business executives, as well as professionals working within the technology industry or channel. This category is judged based on business value and impact.
- Entries must include the work of more than one journalist
- Entrants should enter four stories (any form of content)
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the story for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production value and entertainment value.
The Best Editorial Series award recognises the journalist or team who has best communicated on a social and political issue surrounding technology across multiple pieces.
- Entries can include the work of more than one journalist
- Entrants should enter four or more stories about one topic (any form of content)
- Reviews will not be accepted in this category
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the story for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production value and entertainment value.
Beat Awards
The Beat Awards aim to recognise individual journalists who demonstrate the greatest skill and expertise in delivering content for a particular audience or on a specific topic.
The Helen Dancer Best Consumer Technology Journalist award recognises the journalist who has best used the news and features format to cover essential technology issues for a mainstream audience.
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the story for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production value and entertainment value.
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the story for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production value and entertainment value.
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the story for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production value and entertainment value.
The Paul Zucker Best Technology Industry Journalist award recognises the journalist who has best covered the ICT Industries in Australia or New Zealand. This includes content written for and about IT businesses, including vendors, distributors, resellers and service companies, as well as shareholders or investors in those companies.
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
The Best Telecommunications Journalist award recognises the journalist who has best covered the telecommunications industries in Australia or New Zealand. This includes content written for and about the telecommunications sector.
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
The Best Security Journalist award recognises the journalist who has best communicated on matters of technological security and the security industry.
- Reviews will not be accepted in this category.
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
The Best Science Journalist award, created with the support of the Science Journalists Association of Australia, recognises the journalist who has best communicated on scientific topics related to scientific research, developments, commercialisation, and issues affecting the scientific industry and scientists in Australia. For this award, science relates to any STEM field, as well as health, climate and the environment, but does not include topics such as consumer technology or telecommunications.
- Reviews will not be accepted in this category.
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
Journalism Awards
- Entrants should enter three stories
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
The Best Technology Reviewer award recognises the journalist who makes the best use of the review format to review, rate and analyse the merits of different technology products (not video games).
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 10, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
The Best Game Reviewer award recognises the journalist who makes the best use of the review format to review, rate and analyse video game software.
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 10, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
- Reviews will not be accepted in this category.
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
The Alicia Camphuisen Best New Journalist award recognises the best newcomer to technology journalism. This award is open to journalists who began writing about technology after January 1, 2022 and who have no more than 3 years' experience as a professional journalist.
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
The Graeme Philipson Best Columnist award recognises the journalist who makes the best use of the opinion format to communicate his or her ideas, thoughts and opinions via a column or blog.
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 10, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
The Best Audio Program award recognises the journalist or team who produces the best audio or podcast content covering either business or consumer technology.
- Entrants may submit up to two items, with a combined runtime of no more than 1 hour, and the content may also be edited into a highlights package.
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
- Entrants may submit up to two items, with a combined runtime of no more than 1 hour, and the content may also be edited into a highlights package.
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 5, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
- Submit up to four items that do not exceed 1,000 words total, or 9 minutes in combined runtime.
- This category is exclusively for original, short-form content created by individuals or teams, and not items that are specifically branded or sponsored.
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 10, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
Media Awards
The Media Awards will recognise publications who excel in particular forms of technology journalism.
The Best Consumer Technology Media award recognises the publication that has produced the most useful and interesting content about consumer technology and/or gaming during 2025. This might include PCs, gadgets, the internet, digital culture, consumer electronics, or gaming.
- Entries must consist of the work of more than one journalist and should include four stories.
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 10, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
The Len Rust Best Business Technology Media award recognises the publication that has produced the most impactful and engaging content about business technology during 2025. This might include content for CIOs, IT professionals, business executives, professionals working within the technology industry or channel.
- Entries must consist of the work of more than one journalist and should include four stories.
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 10, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
- Entries should include four stories.
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 10, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
Communications Awards
The Communications Awards will recognise professionals who excel in Corporate Content and PR.
The Best Corporate Content award recognises the individual or individuals who have created the best sponsored content for a specific company or brand.
- Submit one example of work which does not exceed 6,000 words in total with optional supporting arguments helping the judge to understand the impact or success of the submitted work.
Criteria:
Subject Matter: Judges will score the subject matter out of 10, based on originality, importance, general interest and usefulness.
Impact: Judges will score the article for impact out of 10, based on accuracy, the value of the insights, and the quality and relevance of the sources/opinions.
Content Quality: Judges will score the articles, videos or podcasts provided for their quality out of 10, based on writing quality, production values, and entertainment value.
The David Hellaby Best Media Relations award recognises PR professionals who have demonstrated an understanding of how to work most effectively with IT media. This is a “journalist choice” award and is based on votes from journalists who are asked to nominate three PR professionals based on their interactions during the previous year.
1. Their understanding of the journalist's publication, audience and information requirements, via the pitching of relevant, valuable and interesting story leads;
2. Their understanding of the journalist's workflows and deadlines, via effective and non-invasive interactions;
3. Their record in responding promptly, efficiently and fairly to journalist's enquiries and requests
4. Their record in thinking creatively to attract journalist's attention and enhance the journalist/PR interaction;
5. Ethical conduct.
Commendations will be awarded to:
1. Highest scoring in-house PR professional.
2. Highest scoring boutique agency PR professional (Less than five employees).
3. Highest scoring large agency PR professional.
These commendations will be awarded where the winner is not the overall winner or Highly Commended.
Gold Lizzies
The Gold Lizzies will recognise the journalist and outlet who have scored best throughout this year's Award program
- We do not accept submissions for this award.
- We do not accept submissions for this award.
Pioneer of IT Media
The Pioneer of IT Media Award recognises individuals that have made significant contributions to the field of IT journalism. The award is given to those who have demonstrated exceptional support for the ICT sector.
- We do not accept submissions for this award.
