Tightly-contested categories for this year’s PANPA Newspaper of the Year awards saw the Fairfax metropolitan daily ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ beat News Limited stablemates ‘The Australian’, Melbourne’s ‘Herald Sun’ and Sydney ‘Daily Telegraph’ in the top daily circulation category. And the winner of the middle 25,000-90,000 circulation category, the 'Canberra Times', was also one one of this top technical awards. Asian members were again well represented, with the ‘South China Morning post, ‘Apple Daily (Taiwan), and ‘Sharp Daily’ among the region’s best printed. Awards were presented at a gala dinner at Sydney’s Jones Bay Wharf tonight (Thursday). The full list of winners is: Newspaper of the Year: Dailies - 90,000+ Winner: Sydney Morning Herald Highly Commended: The Australian Herald Sun Daily Telegraph Dailies: 25,000-90,000 Winner: The Canberra Times Highly Commended: Geelong Advertiser Wall St Journal Asia Launceston Examiner Border Mail Illawarra Mercury Gold Coast Bulletin Dailies: 10,000-25,000 Winner: The Northern Territory News Highly Commended Sunshine Coast Daily Bay of Plenty Times Wanganui Chronicle Dailies: 0-10,000 Winner: Kalgoorlie Miner Highly Commended Daily Examiner Northwest Telegraph News Site of the Year: News Site of the Year: National / Metropolitan Winner: adelaidenow.com.au Highly Commended theage.com.au theaustralian.com.au heraldsun.com.au News Site of the Year: Regional / Suburban / Local Winner: leadernews.com.au Highly Commended cairns.com.au themorningbulletin.com.au Innovation in Digital Publishing Winner: The Australian's iPad app Highly Commended Herald Sun - Super Footy App Fairfax Magazines - Sport & Style iPad app New Zealand Herald - PLAY Singapore Straits Times - Razor TV Specialist / Niche Site of the Year: Winner: Local Footy SA - Adelaide Advertiser, Sunday Mail, Messenger Newspapers Highly Commended Fairfax Digital - Essential Baby Sunday & Non-Daily Newspapers Sunday Newspaper of the Year Winner: The Sun-Herald Highly Recommended Sunday Herald Sun Sunday Star-Times Sunday Mail Non-Daily: 90,000+ Winner: News Review, Messenger Newspapers Highly Commended St George & Sutherland Shire Leader Non-Daily 25,000-90,000 Winner: The Land Highly Commended The Weekly Times Wentworth Courier Campbelltown Macarthur Advertiser Non-Daily 10,000-25,000 Winner: South Western Times Highly Commended The Courier, Ballarat Stock Journal Non-Daily: 0-10,000 Winner: Hawkesbury Gazette Highly Commended Stock Journal Koori Mail Australian Jewish News South Coast Register Northland Age PHOTOGRAPH of the YEAR News - National / Metropolitan Winner: Phil Hillyard, Daily Telegraph - Julia Gillard Series Highly Commended: Brett Costello, Daily Telegraph - Jessica Watson Kent Blechynden, Dominion Post - Sledgehammer Man Sarah Ivey - New Zealand Herald- Over The Hill Phil Hillyard, Daily Telegraph - Red Dawn News - Regional, Suburban, Local Winner: John Russell, Border Mail - Gerogery Fires Highly Commended: Adam Elwood, Northcote Leader - In the Wrong Place Warren Buckland, Hawke's Bay Today - Informed Sources Portrait - National, Metropolitan Winner: Phil Hillyard, Daily Telegraph - Julia Gillard Series Highly Commended: Joe Armeo, The Age - John Olsen Jodie Richter, Courier Mail - Mr and Mrs McGregor Phil Walter, Getty Images - John Key Gregg Porteous, Daily Telegraph - Green Machine Portrait - Regional, Suburban, Local Winner: Andy Drewitt, Diamond Valley Leader - Dance Alone Highly Commended: Mark Stewart, Waverley Leader - Celebrations David Clark, Gold Coast Bulletin - Fighting for a Future Features - Metropolitan, National Winner: Alan Gibson, New Zealand Herald - Para Fly Highly Commended: Janna Dixon, Herald on Sunday - Len Brown Chris Pavlich, mX - Dancer Ian Colless Features - Regional, Suburban, Local Winner: Simone De Peak, The Herald, Newcastle - Groovin' the Moo Highly Commended: Alan Place, Wentworth Courier - Boxing Old Kitty Hill, The Herald, Newcastle - Different Jason Edwards, Maroondah Leader - Sports Star Sport - National, Metropolitan Winner: Hannah Johnston, Getty Images - Marathon Reflections Highly Commended: Mark Dadswell, Getty Images - Andy Murray Quinn Rooney, Getty Images - Chloe Turner Dallas Kilponen, Sydney Morning Herald - Sydney to Hobart yacht race Hannah Johnston, Getty Images - Cross Country Skiing Kent Blechynden, Dominion Post - Ocean Swims Gregg Porteous, Daily Telegraph - Photo Finish Sport - Regional, Suburban, Local Winner: Joe Murphy, Parramatta Advertiser - World Title Fight Highly Commended: Warren Buckland, Hawke's Bay Today - Defiant Elenor Tedenborg, Lakes Times - Johnny Krishna Matthew Poon, Hills Gazette - Kayaker Lifestyle - National, Metropolitan Winner: Babiche Martens, New Zealand Herald - Block Party Highly Commended: Adam Knott, The Australian Jason Ho, TODAY Lifestyle - Regional, Suburban, Local Winner: Andrew Ritchie, Western Suburbs Weekly - Whale Shark Highly Commended: Jason Sammon, My Ball, My Patch TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE Pre-Prints & Supplements 0-25,000 - Winner: Broome Advertiser - Broome Happenings 25-90,000 - Winner: The Canberra Times 90,000+ - Winner: West Australian - "Fresh" Excellence in Printing on a Double-Width Press - 90,000+ Winner: South China Morning Post Highly Commended: The West Australian Sun-Herald Manly Daily Sunday Telegraph Excellence in Printing on a Double-Width Press - 25,000-90,000 Winner: The Canberra Times Highly Commended: Fairfield Advance The Australian Weekend Australian North Shore Times Excellence in Printing on a Double-Width Press - Up to 25,000 Winner: The Gympie Times Highly Commended Comment News, Armidale Sunshine Coast Daily, APN Excellence in Printing on a Single Width Press - 90,000+ Winner: Apple Daily, Taiwan Excellence in Printing on a Single Width Press - 25,000-90,000 Winner: Sharp Daily Highly Commended: The Land The Mandurah Mail Excellence in Printing on a Single Width Press - Up to 25,000 Winner: The Hervey Bay Observer Highly Commended: Australian Jewish News Bay of Plenty Times Wee Waa News Daily Post Marketing Branding 0-10,000: Winner: Fiordland Advocate - Stick With Us Branding 10,000-25,000 Winner: Nelson Mail - Sayings Highly Commended Shepparton News - Start Your Weekend with the Weekend News Queensland Times - QT Branding Campaign Branding 25,000-90,000 Winner: Geelong Advertiser - Blue & White Edition Highly Commended Dominion Post - Fresh Look Gold Coast Bulletin - It's Just for Us Branding: 90,000+ Winner: Leader Newspapers - Branding Relaunch Highly Commended: The Age - Business Day Relaunches Herald Sun - National Features Sydney Morning Herald - Sport & Style iPad app Marketing: Digital Winner: nzherald.co.nz - Social Media Join the Conversation Young Readers Young Readers: 0-10,000: Winner: Gisborne Herald Young Readers: 10-25,000 Winner: South Western Times - Youth Express / Times Tiger Highly Commended The Courier Ballarat - Where is it? 2009 Young Readers: 25,000-90,000 Winner: Illawarra Mercury - Young at Heart Highly Commended The Mercury, Hobart - Attitude Otago Daily Times - Class Act Young Readers - 90,000+ Winner: APN Newspapers in Education - Dive in and Read Highly Commended The Age - Super Quiz Digital Winner: Courier-Mail - Spelling Bee Sponsorship Sponsorship - 10-25,000 Winner: Shepparton News - Pink Ribbon Fund Raiser Highly Commended South Western Times - Eisteddfod Sponsorship 25,000-90,000 Winner: The New Paper - Nights on Orchard Road Highly Commended Illawarra Mercury - Wollongong Hawks Geelong Advertiser - The Geelong Cats Nine to Five - What's on Your Mind? Sponsorship 90,000+ Winner Herald Sun - Titanic Highly Commended New Zealand Herald - NZ Fashion Week The Age - Melbourne Racing Club Display Advertising Display Advertising 0-10,000 Winner: Narrabri Courier - Shop in Our Shire Display Advertising 10,000-25,000 Winner: Bay of Plenty Times - The Year That Was Highly Commended Nelson Mail - Sale Display Advertising 25,000-90,000 Winner: Dominion Post - Wellingtonians Get It Highly Commended Geelong Advertiser - Blood Toyota Mt Druitt-St Mary's Standard - My Family Supplement Display Advertising 90,000+ Winner: Herald on Sunday - Hour-Long Letter Highly Commended The Age - Mountain Goat Beer Cumberland Courier - Shop Local and Win Cause-Related Marketing Cause-Related Marketing 0-10,000: Winner: Fiordland Advocate - ANZAC Poppies Cause-Related 10,000-25,000 Winner: Bay of Plenty Times - Photo Auction Highly Commended South Western Times - Community Fund Cause Related - 25,000-90,000 Winner: Dominion Post - Ronald McDonald House Partnership Cause Related - 90,000+ Winner: Leader Newspapers - Feed Melbourne Highly Commended New Zealand Herald - At Home with the Herald Events Events 10,000-25,000 Winner: Shepparton News - Biggest Ever Blokes BBQ Highly Commended Wanganui Chronicle - Round the Bridges The Chronicle, Toowoomba - Footy Tips Events 25,000-90,000 Winner: Illawarra Mercury - Retirement Expo Highly Commended Gold Coast Bulletin - GC Honours Macarthur Chronicle - Macarthur Debate Illawarra Mercury - Youth Band Camp Events 90,000+ Winner: 90,000+ The Age - Epicure Live Highly Commended Sydney Morning Herald - Transport Inquiry Sydney Morning Herald - NSW Wine Week Circulation Circulation 10,000-25,000 The winner: Nelson Mail - WoW Highly Commended Bay of Plenty Times - Top Cafe Club Circulation - 25,000-90,000 The Weekly Times - 140 Years of The Weekly Times Highly Commended Dominion Post - Easy Ride Geelong Advertiser - Blue & White Edition The Sunday Tasmanian - eGuide Circulation 90,000+ Winner: New Zealand Herald - Subscriber Acquisition Highly Commended Courier Mail & Sunday Mail - $100,000 Scrabble Courier Mail & Sunday Mail - Subscriber Advantage Sunday Mail - State of Origin Supporters Car Flag Sydney Morning Herald - 12 days of iTunes Christmas Classified Advertising Classified Advertising 25,000-90,000 Winner - The Mercury, Hobart - Little Ads, BIG IMPACT Classified Advertising -90,000+ Winner: Sunday Herald Sun - Love Book Highly Commended New Zealand Herald - Career 10 Innovation in Pre-Production Process or Technology Winner: Nationwide News - News Machine & IntellituneX Environment, Health & Safety Winner: The Age Print Centre