The New Zealand Herald has won the top prize at the PANPA 2015 Newspaper of the Year ceremony in Sydney. NZME’s NZ Herald was awarded the Newspaper of the Year in the national/metro category.
"It remains clear that across the board, print newspapers and their journalism continue to set the social and political agenda. The New Zealand Herald is absolutely a benchmark for this," said the judges.
APN’s regional title The Gympie Times won the Community category, Fairfax’s Newcastle Herald won the Regional category and News Corp’s The Weekend Australian won Best Weekend Newspaper of the Year.
The Newcastle Herald also took out Best Regional News Website, while its sister title the Maitland Mercury won Best Community News Website.
More than 400 guests attended a gala event at Sydney’s Hilton Hotel to learn which of more than 700 entries – spanning print and digital newspaper publishing, photography, publishing innovation and print and production – had won the approval of almost 90 judges. The awards night followed the two-day Future Forum event, which looked at how newspaper media is finding new ways to engage readers and build sustainable commercial models.
“Our judges overwhelmingly remarked on the high quality of journalism and the diversity of entertaining, provocative and often courageous ways in which newspaper media is engaging audiences,” said The Newspaper Works chief executive Mark Hollands. “This ability to authoritatively connect, inform and entertain has never been more important at a time when audiences have limitless choice in content and means of accessing it. I congratulate all the finalists and winners on their outstanding work, and thank our judges for contributing their time and expertise. Their commitment underscores the importance of newspaper media to our societies.”
THE FULL LIST OF 2015 PANPA NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR AWARDS WINNERS:
NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
Daily Newspaper of the Year
Community
The Gympie Times – APN News & Media
Regional
Newcastle Herald – Fairfax Media
National/Metropolitan
The New Zealand Herald – NZME.
Weekend Newspaper of the Year (OPEN)
The Weekend Australian – News Corp Australia
Non-daily Newspaper of the Year
Community
The City – Messenger Newspapers
Regional
Queensland Country Life – Fairfax Media
PHOTOGRAPHY
Portrait
Community
Dean Finlay – Jon Hewson, Mandurah Coastal Times
Regional
Beauty Redefined – Sylvia Liber, Illawarra Mercury
National / Metropolitan
Adam Houda – Nicolas Walker, Good Weekend Magazine, Fairfax Media
Features and Lifestyle
Community
The Giants – Andrew Ritchie, Western Suburbs Weekly, Community Newspaper Group
Regional
Fields Of Fire – Adam Hourigan, Daily Examiner
National / Metropolitan
Legends of the Small Screen – David Caird, News Corp Australia (Sunday Herald Sun, Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Mail)
Sport
Community
Jessica Whiting – Jon Hewson, Mandurah Coastal Times
Regional
Dive – Stephen Parker, Rotorua Daily Post
National / Metropolitan
Blue Water Classic – Sydney Hobart Race 2014 – Brett Costello, Daily Telegraph
News
Community
Dramatic Water Rescue – Simon Maude, North Shore Times, New Zealand
Regional
How do you tell him? – Glenn Hampson, Gold Coast Bulletin
National / Metropolitan (TIE)
Dramatic Water Rescue – Simon Maude, stuff.co.nz
Sydney’s Sea of Love – Toby Zerna, Courier-Mail and dailytelegraph.com.au
ENVIRONMENT (OPEN)
1-Degree’s Recycling Expo – News Corp Australia
TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE
Single-width
Community
Sharp Daily (Taiwan) – Apple Daily Publications
Regional
Herdsman Print Centre – Harvey-Waroona Reporter, West Australian Newspapers
National / Metropolitan
Apple Daily (Hong Kong) – Apple Daily Publications
Double-width
Community
Frankston Times – Border Mail Print Centre, Albury, Fairfax Media
Regional
Illawarra Mercury – Canberra Print & Distribution Centre, Fairfax Media
National / Metropolitan
South China Morning Post, Hong Kong
Pre-print or Supplement (OPEN)
Lifestyles of the 50+ – Tamworth Print Centre, Fairfax Media
Print Centre of the Year (OPEN)
Yandina Print Centre, APN News & Media
DIGITAL
Best Mobile Site/App (OPEN)
The Age iPad App – The Age
Best Niche / Specialty App or Microsite (OPEN)
#SnapSydney – NewsLocal, News Corp Australia
Innovation of the Year (OPEN)
Story of Gallipoli – The Age, Fairfax Media
News Site of the Year
Community
The Maitland Mercury (www.maitlandmercury.com.au)
Regional
Newcastle Herald (www.herald.com.au)
National / Metropolitan
The Advertiser, Adelaide (www.advertiser.com.au)
HEGARTY INDUSTRY SCHOLARSHIP
Best Young Executive Under 35
Jared Savage – The New Zealand Herald, NZME.
The 2015 PANPA Newspaper of the Year Awards were sponsored by Norske Skog. The $10,000 Hegarty Award Scholarship for outstanding young news publishing executive, and the popular photography category, were sponsored by Media Super. Print categories were sponsored by DIC, and Digital categories by Newscycle.