MediaMixx 2014 - 20-Year Media Mirroring

MediaMixx 2014, the 20th anniversary edition of the unique media festival in Bulgaria, supported by Sopharma, took place from June 4th to 7th in Albena Resort. The event was closed with a spectacular ceremony for awarding MediaMixx jubilee awards in various categories.

The festival brought together representatives of major Bulgarian media, journalists, media and PR experts and bloggers. The congress part was full of topics and discussions on freedom of expression, the image of 'the other' in the news coverage as well as influence and involvement of the media in the election campaigns. Furthermore, comments were made on the future of the media after the digital revolution and speculations were made on media futurism.

Awarding the MediaMixx 2014 jubilee prizes coincided with other anniversaries - 80 years of Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), 55 years of Bulgarian National Television (BNT), 45 years of Albena Resort. Landmark Bulgaria media achievements from the last two decades received recognition in the following 5 categories.

Printed Media:

The prize for a daily newspaper having reached the highest circulation got the Trud newspaper for one of its copies from 1995.

The prize for a weekly edition having reached the highest circulation was awarded to the 168 Hours newspaper.

The prize for an edition having changed the magazine market went to the cult magazine Egoist.

Television:

MediaMixx 2014 award for first private nation-wide broadcasted television was given to  Nova Television.

BTV was proclaimed as the best rating television.

The series Undercover, that got several awards at last year MediaMixx festival, was recognized as the best-selling and award-winning Bulgarian television production.

Radio:

The prize for the first private radio station in Bulgaria was awarded to FM+ Radio.

The prize for the program that stayed longer on the air was given to RadioTheater  - a BNR program.

Yet, the BNR, which this year celebrates its 80th anniversary, received the best-rated radio award.

Web:

The award for first internet media was shared between NetInfo and Dir.bg. Furthermore, Dir.bg was declared to be the most visited Bulgarian media portal.

The award for most downloaded media application (app) was given to Sportal.

Honorary Awards:

MD Magazine (Medical digest) was recognized as the best and most sustainable specialized mediaon the Bulgarian market.

The Military Television Channel was honored for their efforts to 'restart the media'.

ZOV - Vratsa News information agency was honored for its success as a local media.

The Standard newspaper won the Crossing Cultures prize for its 'Wonders of Bulgaria' campaign.  

The ceremony ended with awarding an honorary award for lifetime media development achievement. It was awarded posthumously to Peter Uvaliev, aka Pierre Rouve (1915-1998) - a worldwide famous intellectual, recognized by the great Bulgarian minds. He was awarded the prize for his work as an associate in BBC Radio Bulgarian section in London, where he read on the air his week essays over almost 50 years. In 1949 he settled in Great Britain and established into its cultural elite as a film producer, screenwriter, theater director, semiotician, art theorist, university lecturer, writer, translator, art critic and radio journalist. The award was received by his daughter Mila Rouve, who arrived from England especially for the ceremony. She apologized that she would not speak Bulgarian out of respect for his father's knowledge and love to the language and for being unable to achieve his freedom and grace of expression.