Several thoroughly researched podcasts on social issues are in the running for the renowned Grimme Online Award this year.

This was announced by the Grimme Institute on Wednesday in Cologne.

According to the information provided, eight podcasts were among the 27 nominated online offerings this year.

In the "Information" category, they even dominate the field.

The audio productions "Cui Bono: WTF happened to Ken Jebsen?" (Studio Bummens, NDR, RBB, K2H), "Breitscheidplatz" (RBB, SWR), "Narcoland - Das Meth-Kartell im Dreiländereck" were nominated for the awards there “ (Aachener Zeitung, Aachener Nachrichten) and “Slahi - 14 Years Guantánamo” (NDR).

In the podcast area in particular, it was noticeable how often “strong (investigative) research work on relevant social topics” can be found, the nomination commission praised.

"You could hear a return to classic journalistic craftsmanship, combined with modern storytelling and well thought-out dramaturgy," she explained.

"Cui Bono: WTF happened to Ken Jebsen?", for example, traces the development of the conspiracy narrator Ken Jebsen.

In "Slahi - 14 Years Guantánamo" a longtime prisoner is brought together with his former torturers.

According to the Commission, this was an “impressive moment in coming to terms with history”.

Grimme Online Award most important award for outstanding online journalism

The undoped Grimme Online Award is considered the most important award for outstanding online journalism in Germany.

The winners are scheduled to be announced on June 23.

Up to nine winners are possible – one of them is chosen by the audience.

Proposals for this year's award could be submitted from January 15th to March 1st.

There was therefore only a brief overlap with Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, which began at the end of February.

Accordingly, only a few formats on the subject made it onto the nominee list.

But one thing is in the running: The Ukraine coverage of the magazine "Katapult", which - as was appreciated - "not only opens up special insights into the hard-fought everyday life in Kyiv, but can also convince with its loving graphic processing".

Climate and environment instead of Corona

While numerous formats dealt with the corona pandemic last year, the Grimme Institute also found that the climate and environment were repeatedly an issue this time.

Two offers were on the nominee list: on the one hand the documentary project "Environment in East Germany" (MDR), on the other hand "We switch off, they heat up" (Zeit Online).

There, based on a world map, it is shown where new coal-fired power plants are being built.

Formats of all kinds were also nominated.

The list also includes the YouTube channel "Scobel" (ZDF/3sat) by the well-known journalist Gert Scobel.

"As an older person, I am happy to be among so many younger colleagues with a format that is actually young," said the 62-year-old after the nomination was announced.

For example, his videos are used by students to prepare for class work.

The innovative project "Sign & Sing" (Head, Hand and Foot gGmbH), which prepares music for hard of hearing and deaf children on the Tiktok platform, was also nominated.

As a kind of "background report on the current Ukraine crisis", the Grimme Institute also recognized the format "Nuclear Games - The Atomic Threat" (Studios Docmine, SRG/SRF), which deals with nuclear weapons and nuclear energy.

Not an outstanding vintage of online journalism

Nonetheless, the nomination commission noted critically that, when looking at the entire network, one cannot speak of an outstanding year in online journalism.

Significantly fewer offers than in previous years would have stood out from a broad midfield.

It was also criticized that offers for children were underrepresented in the submissions.

"Children are surfing the net in increasing numbers and are confronted with sometimes drastic images and content that require classification and framing," said Grimme director Frauke Gerlach.

"But unfortunately there has been a lack of appropriate offers for years, something urgently needs to change here!"