The Independent Journalism Center and the Committee for the Freedom of the Press nominated the journalists of 2020. The nomination of winners was different from the previous years as the names of the journalists were announced online in the 26th Annual Gala of the Press Club. Eleven awards in eight categories were conferred this year, IPN reports.

The Journalists of the Year rankings are as follows:

Broad covering of COVID-19: journalist Violeta Colesnic (Report.md and Sanatateinfo.md);

Podcast/audio feature: Podcast “I’m Ok” by journalists Natalia Sergheev and Victoria Colesnic;

Online feature: Moldova.org;

Video feature: Felicia Crețu (Cu Sens), Oameni și Kilometri, Viorica Tătaru and Andrei Captarenco (TV8);

Longread: Alexandra Batanova (NewsMaker);

Opinion-editorial: Stela Untilă (NewsMaker);

Photography: Nadejda Roșcovanu (Jurnal.md);

Investigation: RISE Moldova, Victor Moșneag (Ziarul de Gardă).

There were also six Special Awards, namely:

Debut of the Year: Cu Sens;
 
Hope of the Year: Georgeta Carasiucenco (Moldova.org);

For active covering of subjects related to the Transnistrian region: “Asfalt de Moldova, între două maluri” (Jurnal TV);

Best blog: Vlada Ciobanu;

Evolution of the Year: Agora;

Excellence Award: Nicolae Pojoga.

The Gala “Journalists of the Year” has been held annually since 1995 within the Press Club of Chisinau. Its goal is to support and encourage the efforts of journalists to do high-quality work, abiding by the international professional standards.