Oman's Ministry of Information is set to host the 2026 Media Excellence Competition awards ceremony on October 26 at its theatre, celebrating outstanding achievements across various media disciplines. The biennial competition encourages creativity and innovation among media professionals and institutions, while fostering positive competition and supporting the growth of digital and electronic media content.

The competition is divided into four main sectors: press, radio, television, and electronic media. It is open to media organizations, individual practitioners, enthusiasts, and media students at academic institutions. Press categories include press articles, interviews, investigative journalism, and photojournalism. Radio entries cover talk shows, family programs, radio dramas, and cultural content. Television categories feature talk and sports shows, variety programs, documentaries, children’s programming, and governorate reports. The electronic media field encompasses electronic broadcasting channels, podcasts, digital media campaigns, institutional electronic newspapers, news accounts, and social media content creation, with specific opportunities for media students in higher education.

First-place winners in each category will receive a prize of RO 1,500. The competition’s biennial format allows participants time to prepare and submit distinguished works, while also expanding opportunities for involvement.

Ahead of the awards ceremony, several accompanying events are planned. On October 25, Abdulwahed al Qahtani from Saudi Arabia will deliver a lecture titled “Future Media: Creativity and Innovation in the Era of Artificial Intelligence.” Additionally, a workshop on “Writing Television Drama Scripts” will take place on October 25 and 26, conducted by Egyptian writer and trainer Hassan Dahshan.

Since its inception in 2004, the Media Excellence Competition has served as a national platform to promote media creativity and to reinforce the media's role in supporting the objectives outlined in Oman Vision 2040. The initiative reflects Oman’s ongoing commitment to developing a vibrant and innovative media landscape aligned with its broader socio-economic goals.