LONDON: The Mayman Show, the “personable podcast” by Arab News, has been honored as best podcast at this year’s WAN-IFRA Middle East Awards. The show is known for its relatable conversations between the host and celebrity guests. Hussam Al-Mayman, the host and producer, said: “I’m very proud to have The Mayman Show selected in the best podcast category. It has been a very interesting journey that has led me and the team here. We are navigating uncharted territory in terms of news content creation for the Middle East.”Now in its fourth season, the program has featured an array of celebrities and prominent personalities from the Arab world and beyond, including Saudi Arabia’s first female Olympic sprinter Kariman Abuljadayel and hip-hop artist and actor Qusai Kheder. Al-Mayman, a former professional in the Saudi communications and media industry and the youngest senior assignment producer for MBC News programs, said that the success of his program lay in building meaningful relationships with guests rather than striving to be the first or number one. “I am proud to be focused on being the one and only Mayman Show and stay true to my authenticity and bring a personal piece, my guests and myself to every discussion,” he said. “Thank you for the support, and what you see (or listen to) is what you get. What you haven’t seen is even better yet.”This year’s WAN-IFRA Middle East Awards witnessed a record-breaking number of entries, marking it as the most competitive season in its history. Since its digital transformation in 2016, Arab News has consistently led in innovation and expansion of its services. The publication’s transition to a digital-first, 24/7 platform with an award-winning design has garnered numerous design and excellence accolades, but the recognition for The Mayman Show marks a significant milestone as the first podcast award. In 2023 alone, Arab News secured multiple visual storytelling awards in prestigious competitions, including the Society for News Design Awards, International Newspaper Design Competition, Indigo Awards, and European Newspaper Awards. For more information about Arab News and its award-winning design, visit arabnews.com/greatesthits