The BOBs, short for "Best of the Blogs," was an international online award recognizing outstanding weblogs, online activism, and digital projects from around the world. Launched by Germany's international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) in 2004, the awards aimed to promote freedom of expression, human rights, and democratic values online, particularly in regions where these principles are challenged.
History
The BOBs were founded in 2004 by Deutsche Welle, initially in cooperation with Reporters Without Borders. The initiative grew out of DW's commitment to fostering free speech and quality journalism globally. The awards quickly gained international recognition for highlighting voices and projects that often operated under difficult circumstances or in censored environments. Over its 12-year run, The BOBs evolved, adapting its categories to the changing landscape of online media, including the rise of podcasts, video blogs (vlogs), and various forms of online activism. The last edition of The BOBs was held in 2016, after which Deutsche Welle decided to focus its resources on other digital journalism and media development initiatives.Categories and Scope
A defining feature of The BOBs was its multilingual approach. The awards were presented in multiple languages, including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Indonesian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and often others like Bengali, Hindi, Persian, Turkish, and Ukrainian, reflecting its global reach.Key categories often included:
- Best Blog: Recognizing overall excellence in blogging.
- Reporters Without Borders Award: Honoring blogs that courageously promote freedom of speech.
- Best of Online Activism: Celebrating digital projects that drive social or political change.
- Special Topic Awards: These varied over the years and often focused on specific themes such as human rights, social change, technology, or cultural identity.
- Best Video Channel/Podcast: Acknowledging excellence in multimedia content.
Selection Process
The selection process involved two main stages:- Nominations: The public was invited to nominate blogs and online projects from around the world.
- Jury and Public Vote: An international jury of journalists, bloggers, and online experts selected the jury winners in various language categories, as well as the overall "Best of the Blogs" award. Simultaneously, the public could cast their votes online for the "Users' Choice" winners in each category. This dual system ensured both expert recognition and popular appeal.