The Sokolow Prizes for Excellence in Journalism for 2006 were awarded in a gala ceremony held on Monday at Tel Aviv's Enav Center. The prize for print journalism was awarded to Haaretz writers Ruth Sinai and Uzi Benziman.

The prize for electronic journalism went to Channel 1 news reporter Itai Landsberg and journalist Nissim Mishal. The Dosh prize for cartooning was awarded to the veteran illustrator Shmuel Katz. The prizes were handed out by Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai; the cultural affairs adviser to the mayor, Prof. Zohar Shavit, and the heads of the judging committees, led by journalist Emmanuel Halperin.

Sinai, Haaretz correspondent for social issues, said in her acceptance speech, "I view the prize as a command to continue to place Israeli society under the spotlight, in the hope of bringing more justice into our society."

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Landsberg, who heads Channel 1's documentary unit, told the audience that "television in Israel today has become a machine for making easy money."

"Hundreds of hours are devoted to childish competitions, fashion contests, beauty, weight-loss, dating, bloopers and celebrity lifestyles.... I want to use this festive opportunity to say to Channel 1 employees, Guys, you can hold your heads high. Maybe our ratings are low but we have programming that will remain long after no one remembers any of the entertainment, reality, talk and absurdity shows."