Two News Corp sites, two of APN's and Seven West's Perth plant are up for contention as 'print centre of the year' this year's PANPA awards.

Finalists announced today name News Townsville and NT News print centres, the Ellerslie Print Centre of APN's NZME business unit, WAN's Herdsman print centre and APN's Yandina print centre in Queensland.

No Fairfax Media sites make the 'print centre' list this year, after the group's North Richmond print centre won the inaugural award. Criteria for the category were also changed after last year's competition.

The NT News' Darwin print centre - host site for last year's SWUG conference - is also in contention for technical excellence awards for production of Alice Springs local the Centralian Advocate, Darwin Sun, NT News and an edition of national daily The Australian. Fairfax North Richmond is short-listed in both the single and double-width categories.

Rare exceptions in a list dominated by members of the four major Australian groups which own the competition are overseas finalists Apple Daily Taiwan (for Sharp Daily and Apple Daily), Apple Daily Hong Kong, and the South China Morning Post.

More than 700 entries were submitted to this year's PANPA awards, which cover print and digital newspaper publishing, photography, publishing innovation and print and production, plus a further 450 for the Advertising & Marketing awards.

In the peak 'newspaper of the year' competition, national/metropolitan finalists are The Australian, Daily Telegraph, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, New Zealand Herald, The West Australian, Courier-Mail, The Australian Financial Review, The Advertiser, and Herald Sun.

The privately-owned Otago Daily Times joins the Newcastle Herald, Geelong Advertiser, The Mercury (Hobart), Gold Coast Bulletin, Sunshine Coast Daily, Townsville Bulletin, NT News, and Fiji Times in the regional daily category.

Community finalists are the Gympie Times, Maitland Mercury, Kalgoorlie Miner and Manly Daily.

The Newspaper Works chief executive Mark Hollands says judges feedback suggests this has been "the most competitive awards" for daily and weekend newspapers for a very long time.

"Newspapers this year have been forthright and courageous, and mixed with their various approaches to entertaining provocation. I don't think there can ever have been a more challenging time to be an editor - polarising social and political issues, commercial pressures, social media that mostly feeds off your work, great stories to chase and break and a million micro-decisions to make every day.

"Our newspapers have retained a high standard of journalism while evolving to compete in an increasingly fragmented landscape of content diversity and technology choice."

Also up for contention when the awards are announced on September 11 is the $10,000 Hegarty Award scholarship, made to the year's outstanding young news publishing executive and sponsored for the first time by MediaSuper (which is also supporting the photography categories). Presentations are at a gala function at the Hilton Hotel in Sydney - bookings for both events can be made here - at the end of the annual Future Forum event. Keynote speakers at this include WPP chief executive Martin Sorrell and News Corp's global senior vice president of strategy Raju Narisetti.

Finalists were:

PHOTOGRAPHY

PORTRAIT

Community Finalists

Maureen Smith with Seaweed, Braden Fastier, Manly Daily

Strawberry Pair, Derrick den Hollander, Mornington Peninsula Leader,

A Survivor's Miracle, Geoff Jones, Hawkesbury Gazette

Noah D'Annunzio Actor in Paper Planes, Martin Kennealey Fremantle Gazette

Dean Finlay, Jon Hewson, Mandurah Coastal Times

Australia's Strongest Man, Carmela Roche, Macarthur Chronicle

Leonidas and Misty, John Appleyard, Southern Courier

Regional Finalists

Father's Legacy, Max Mason-Hubers, Newcastle Herald

I, Baller, Jon Gellweiler, South Western Times

Hot Feet, Brendan Radke, Cairns Post

Beauty Redefined, Sylvia Liber, Illawarra Mercury

Jack's Joy, Karen Dodd, Geelong Advertiser

Call of the Wild, Marc Stapelberg, The Northern Star

The Sunbaker, Simone De Peak, Newcastle Herald, Fairfax Media

Territory Racing Fashion, Ivan Rachman, NT News

World at his Feet, Jonathan Carroll, Newcastle Herald

Codified, Evan Morgan, Townsville Bulletin

Train of Thought, Alistair Brightman, Fraser Coast Chronicle

National / Metropolitan Finalists

The Chef and the Gardner, Matt Turner, Adelaide Advertiser

Breakfast TV Stars Odd Couple: Koch and Stefanovic, David Caird, News Corp Australia (Sunday Herald Sun, Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Mail).

Willamba Station, Jason Edwards, Herald Sun

Flamin' Thirsty, Jason Edwards, Herald Sun

Near-Death Experience, Alex Ellinghausen, Sydney Morning Herald / The Age

Sport Portrait, Brett Costello, Daily Telegraph

Adam Houda, Nicolas Walker, Good Weekend Magazine, Fairfax Media

Centenarian, Rohan Thomson, The Canberra Times

Grant Hackett - Back with a Splash, Luke Marsden, Sunday Mail

Josh Kennedy, Phil Hillyard, Daily Telegraph

Captain Smith, Phil Hillyard, Daily Telegraph

FEATURES AND LIFESTYLE

Community Finalists

Weather, John Veage, St George and Sutherland Leader

Winners are Grinners, Justin Brierty, Centralian Advocate

Prosthetic Surfer, Braden Fastier, Manly Daily

Zimbabweans Soccer, David Smith, Leader Newspapers

All Smiles Ellie, Geoff Jones, Hills News

100 years of Pyrex, Waide Maguire, Express Advocate

Sheep, Elouise Hawkey, The Young Witness

Jeff's Dead at the Buffalo Club in Fremantle, Martin Kennealey, Fremantle Gazette

Sculpture by the Sea, Andrew Ritchie, Western Suburbs Weekly

ANZAC Dawn Starlights 2015, Jon Hewson, Mandurah Coastal Times

The Giants, Andrew Ritchie, Community Newspaper Group

Regional Finalists

Closing the Gap, Simone De Peak, Newcastle Herald

Fields Of Fire, Adam Hourigan, Daily Examiner

Silhouette Surfer, Andy Jackson, Taranaki Daily News

Farming Families, Penelope Arthur, Queensland Country Lie

Best Friends, John Borren, Bay of Plenty Times

Broken Dreams, Sylvia Liber, Illawarra Mercury

Robert Dessaix, Richard Jupe, TasWeekend Magazine (The Mercury, Hobart)

It's a Bug's Life, Charlotte Curd, Taranaki Daily News

Frozen, Marc Stapelberg, The Northern Star

National / Metropolitan Finalists

Bondi Magic Series, Bob Barker, Daily Telegraph

Boxing on, Adam Taylor, Daily Telegraph

Legends of the Small Screen, David Caird, News Corp Australia (Sunday Herald Sun, Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Mail.)

100th Anniversary Landing at Gallipoli, David Caird, Herald Sun

Commonwealth Games swimmer Josh Beaver at Albert Park, Jason Sammon, Herald Sun

Storm over North Sydney, Mark Evans, Daily Telegraph

The 'Deni' Ute Muster, Jason Edwards, Herald Sun

Willamba Station, Jason Edwards, Herald Sun

Dadaab - The World's Largest Refugee Camp, Edwina Pickles, The Sydney Morning Herald

Homeless Woman Studies Year 12 from Tent, Justin McManus, The Age

Cattle woman Kellie, Jason South, The Age

Rite of Passage, Nicolas Walker, The Sydney Morning Herald

Cattle Class, Nicolas Walker, The Australian Financial Review Magazine

Lauren Mitchell, Alex Coppel, Herald Sun

Bailey, Alex Coppel, Herald Sun

Duke's Day Freshwater Beach, Dallas Kilponen, Sun-Herald

SPORT

Community Finalists

Jets Dribble, Geoff Jones, Hawkesbury Gazette

Surf Boat Dive, Braden Fastier, Manly Daily

Kiana Elliott, 17, Australia's Strongest Girl, Braden Fastier, Hornsby Advocate

Jessica Whiting, Jon Hewson, Mandurah Coastal Times

Fever Pitch, Andrew Ritchie, Western Suburbs Weekly

Roo Beauty, Justin Brierty, Centralian Advocate

Regional Finalists

Dive, Stephen Parker, Rotorua Daily Post

Expression Session, Andy Jackson, Taranaki Daily News

Kolohe Andino Flies Above Bells, Jason Sammon, Geelong Advertiser

State of Origin, Jonathan Carroll, The Newcastle Herald

Wakeskater, John Borren, Bay of Plenty Times

Troy Brooks Lights Up Bells Beach at Dawn, Jason Sammon, Geelong Advertiser

Air Time, Sylvia Liber, Illawarra Mercury

Mud Bath, Charlotte Curd, Taranaki Daily News

Kev Mayo Boxing, Brendan Radke, Cairns Post

National / Metropolitan Finalists

Auburn Giants, Janie Barrett, The Sydney Morning Herald

South Sydney Win First NRL Grand Final in 43 Years, Brett Costello, Daily Telegraph

Dog vs. Cyclist, Iain McGregor, The Press

Blue Water Classic - Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2014, Brett Costello, Daily Telegraph

Kohli's Fans, Phil, Hillyard, Daily Telegraph

World Cup Victory, Phil Hillyard, Daily Telegraph

NEWS

Community Finalists

Higher Ground, Vicki Wood, Caboolture News

Smashing Rescue, Simon Maude, North Shore Times

Mel and Liz with Kids, Simon Bennett, Camden Narellan Advertiser

Mike Baird, Braden Fastier, Manly Daily

Weapons Drawn, Craig Wilson, Canterbury-Bankstown Express

Fisherman Lost, Annika Enderborg, Manly Daily

Werribee Cup, David Smith, Leader Newspapers

Anna Warr, John Veage, Macarthur Advertiser

Dee Why Crash, Braden Fastier, Manly Daily

Regional Finalists

Lightning Storm, Max Mason-Hubers, Newcastle Herald

Swept Away, Peter Stoop, Newcastle Herald

Murder Grief, Mike Dugdale, Geelong Advertiser

How do you tell him?, Glenn Hampson, Gold Coast Bulletin

RIP, Marc Stapelberg, Northern Star

National / Metropolitan Finalists

The Snuff Puppets for Singapore and Australia's 50 Bridges programme, Wee Teck Hian, TODAY

Desperate Times, Adam Taylor, Daily Telegraph

Sydney Siege Climax, Andrew Meares, Sydney Morning Herald and The Age

Prince Harry Makes Friends, Iain McGregor, The Press

Freedom, Chris McKeen, Daily Telegraph

Funeral for Lily Grace, Rohan Kelly, Daily Telegraph

Prisoners Take Warden, Han-Chang Hsu, Apple Daily Taiwan

Chinese Official Zhang Zhijun Wraps up Landmark Taiwan Visit, Han-Chang Hsu, Apple Daily Taiwan

Rally Against Racism, Chris Hopkins, The Age

Sydney's Sea of Love, Toby Zerna, Courier-Mail and dailytelegraph.com.au

Morticians, Rohan Thomson, The Canberra Times

Sydney Rainbow, Brett Costello, Daily Telegraph

Gerard Baden-Clay, Peter Wallis, Courier-Mail

Dramatic Water Rescue, Simon Maude, stuff.co.nz

ENVIRONMENT

1 Degree's Recycling Expo - News Corp Australia

Gunnedah's Project Koala - Namoi Valley Independent, Fairfax Media

TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE

SINGLE-WIDTH

Community Finalists

Centralian Advocate - Darwin Print Centre, News Corp Australia

Darwin Sun - Darwin Print Centre, News Corp Australia

Sharp Daily (Taiwan) - Apple Daily Publications

Penrith Gazette - North Richmond Print Centre, Fairfax Media

Regional Finalists

NT News - Darwin Print Centre, News Corp Australia

Newcastle Herald - Beresfield Print Centre, Fairfax Media

Daily Mercury - Rockhampton Print Centre, APN News & Media

Gladstone Observer - Rockhampton Print Centre, APN News & Media

Harvey-Waroona Reporter - Herdsman Print Centre, West Australian Newspapers

Bundaberg News Mail - Rockhampton Print Centre, APN News & Media

Sunday Territorian - Darwin Print Centre, News Corp Australia

National / Metropolitan Finalists

The Australian - Darwin Print Centre, News Corp Australia

Apple Daily (Taiwan) - Apple Daily Publications

Apple Daily (Hong Kong) - Apple Daily Publications

The Australian Financial Review - Ballarat Print Centre, Fairfax Media

Sun-Herald - North Richmond Print Centre, Fairfax Media

The Age - Fairfax Media, Ballarat

DOUBLE-WIDTH

Community Finalists

Fairfield Champion - North Richmond Print Centre, Fairfax Media

Chinese Herald - Ellerslie Print Centre, NZME

Frankston Times - Border Mail Print Centre, Albury, Fairfax Media

Penrith Press - Chullora Print Centre, Sydney, News Corp Australia

Gympie Times - Yandina Print Centre, APN News & Media

Maribyrnong & Hobsons Bay Star Weekly - Border Mail Print Centre, Albury, Fairfax Media

Regional Finalists

Illawarra Mercury - Canberra Print & Distribution Centre, Fairfax Media

Sunshine Coast Daily - Yandina Print Centre, APN News & Media

The Northern Star - Yandina Print Centre, APN News & Media

The Daily Examiner - Yandina Print Centre, APN News & Media

Canberra Times - Canberra Print & Distribution Centre, Fairfax Media

National / Metropolitan Finalists

NZ Weekend Herald - Ellerslie Print Centre, NZME

The Timaru Herald - Christchurch Print Centre, Fairfax Media

South China Morning Post, Hong Kong

The West Australian - Herdsman Print Centre, Seven West Media

Sydney Morning Herald - North Richmond Print Centre, Fairfax Media

The Sunday Telegraph - Chullora Print Centre, Sydney, News Corp Australia

PRE-PRINT OR SUPPLEMENT

Lifestyles of the 50+ - Tamworth Print Centre, Fairfax Media

Good Weekend - Launceston Print Centre, Fairfax Media

Our River Our Valley our City - Launceston Print Centre, Fairfax Media

Canberra's Caring Community - Canberra Print & Distribution Centre, Fairfax Media

Great War - Launceston Print Centre, Fairfax Media

Hinterland Times - Ormiston Print Centre, Fairfax Media

ANZAC Centenary - Herdsman Print Centre, Seven West Media

Jewellery - South China Morning Post, Hong Kong

PRINT CENTRE OF THE YEAR

Townsville Print Centre, News Corp Australia

NT News Print Centre, News Corp Australia

Ellerslie Print Centre, NZME.

Herdsman Print Centre, West Australia Newspapers, Seven West Media

Yandina Print Centre, APN News & Media

HEGARTY SCHOLARSHIP

Emily Sweet - Australia Community Media Division, Fairfax Media

Jennifer Berry - Fiordland Advocate, Advocate Communications Ltd

Janine Fenwick - co.nz, Fairfax Media NZ

Courtney Greisbach - The Advocate, (Burnie, Tasmania) Fairfax Media

Paul Hart - The Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Media

Ang Yiting - Lianhe Zaobao, Singapore Press Holdings

Huichun Song - Shin Min Daily News, Singapore Press Holdings

Erik Jensen - The Saturday Paper

Jared Savage - New Zealand Herald, NZME.

DIGITAL

Best Mobile Site (Open) Finalists

AFR iPad App - The Australian Financial Review

The Age Tablet App - The Age

CourierMailApp - Courier-Mail/Sunday Mail

heraldsun.com.au - Herald Sun

Remembering Lee Kuan Yew mobile site - The Straits Times, Singapore Press Holdings

Best Niche / Specialty App or Microsite (Open) Finalists

Andrew Lock: One More Climb - The Canberra Times, Fairfax Media

Gallipoli - The Age, Fairfax Media

Bodies for Profit/Fighting for Survival -co.nz, Fairfax Media NZ

#SnapSydney - NewsLocal, News Corp Australia

Last Post, First Light - co.nz, Fairfax Media NZ

Eating In, Eating Out, and Everything In Between - com.au, Fairfax Media

Digital Publishing Innovation of the Year (Open) Finalists

Election - co.nz , NZME

Gallipoli - co.nz, NZME

Story of Gallipoli - The Age, Fairfax Media

White Night - The Age, Fairfax Media

my - MCIL Multimedia Sdn Bhd

Beehive Live - co.nz, Fairfax Media NZ

Road Trip - sco.nz, Fairfax Media NZ

Breaking News Coverage in a Multiplatform Environment - Apple Daily Taiwan

AnzacLive - News Corp Australia

The Australian Financial Review - The Australian Financial Review, Fairfax Media

The Straits Times STAR e-books app - The Straits Times, Singapore Press Holdings

NEWS SITE OF THE YEAR

Community

The Maitland Mercury (www.maitlandmercury.com.au)

The South Burnett Times (www.southburnetttimes.com.au)

Regional Finalists

The Chronicle (www.thechronicle.com.au)

Bendigo Advertiser (www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au)

Newcastle Herald (www.herald.com.au)

FarmOnline (www.farmonline.com.au)

NT News (www.ntnews.com.au)

National / Metropolitan Finalists

Daily Telegraph (www.DailyTelegraph.com.au)

The Advertiser, Adelaide (www.advertiser.com.au

Herald Sun (www.heraldsun.com.au)

The Sydney Morning Herald (www.smh.com.au)

Courier-Mail (www.couriermail.com.au)

stuff.co.nz

news.com.au

afr.com

NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

NON-DAILY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

Community Finalists

Mt Druitt-St Marys Standard

Parramatta Advertiser

Macarthur Chronicle

Central Coast Express Advocate

Namoi Valley Independent

The City

Whitehorse Leader

Penrith Press

Whittlesea Leader

Canterbury Bankstown Express

St George & Sutherland Shire Leader

The Riverine Herald

The Northland Age

Regional Finalists

The Land

Queensland Country Life

South Western Times

Albany Advertiser

Mandurah Mail

Surf Coast Times

The Burdekin Advocate

WEEKEND NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

The Weekend Australian

AFR Weekend

Sunday Herald Sun

The Saturday Age

The Sunday Age

The Weekend Sydney Morning Herald (Saturday)

The Weekend West

Sunday Mail (Queensland)

Herald on Sunday

Sunday Mail (South Australia)

DAILY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

Community Finalists

The Gympie Times

The Maitland Mercury

Kalgoorlie Miner

Manly Daily

Regional Finalists

Newcastle Herald

Geelong Advertiser

The Mercury, Hobart

Gold Coast Bulletin

Sunshine Coast Daily

Townsville Bulletin

NT News

Otago Daily Times

Fiji Times

National/Metropolitan

The Australian

Daily Telegraph

The Age

The Sydney Morning Herald

New Zealand Herald

The West Australian

Courier-Mail

The Australian Financial Review

The Advertiser

Herald Sun

Judges for this year's awards were:

Kellie Northwood, Emelio Robles, Daniel Littlepage, Peter Cornelius, Sam North, Darren Burden, Stu Cameron, Miguel D'Souza, Nate Cochrane, Ed Efchak, David Murphy, Mark Challinor, Karyn Krawford, Foad Fadaghi, David Hovenden, Jon Reid, Susan Bredow, Simon Sharwood, Damien Munday, Helena Daley, Rochelle Burbury, Eva Rinaldi, Valerie Arnould, Doug Wills, Tim Burrowes, William Cain, Grant Booker, Mark Dadswell, David Leeson, Jeff Darmanin, Andrew Tyndall, Cheryl Senter, Ross Duncan, Andy Moger, Paul Burston, Craig Sillitoe, Leith Phillips, Marina Go, Bruce Davidson, Peter Horgan, John Croll, Rick Neville, Kylie Davis, Chris Pash, Hugh Martin, Philip Clark, Leith Phillips, Lianne Richards, Mal Dale, Gai Le Roi, Helena Daley, Garth Agius, Paul Carroll, Andrew Sinclair, Peter Cornelius, Michele McCamley, Paddy Douneen, David Hoath, Samantha Amjadali, Glen Wiggs, Andy Moger, John Koay, Mark Jones, Adrianne Nixon, Paul Dovas, Laurie Geddes, Sylvianne Heim, Danny Massa, Paul Coles, Mark Sharman, Penny Dixon, Allison Whitelaw, Simon Wake, Denise Shrivell, Jane Schulze, Gillian Paton, Jane Nicholls, Peter Miller, Mark Kennedy, Brian Hill, Dean Gould, Charlton D'Silva, Heather Craven, Ray Black.

Pictured: Last year's Hegarty Award winner Mark Baker is quizzed by NOY host Julia Zemiro