More has changed than the way in which categories are organised with Australia's News Media Awards reflecting revised ownership structures.

As a result, the country's two biggest groups dominate the list of this year's finalists announced today.

In the awards - which combine the former PANPA Newspaper of the Year awards and Advertising and Marketing awards - 88 News Corp Australia entries face up against 72 from rival Fairfax Media and its New Zealand subsidiary Stuff, and 15 from former APN New Zealand business NZME.

The total accounts for 165 of the 193 entries to make it through to the finals, and that's not including seven finalist places gained by Community News Group - the West Australian business in which Seven West and News are partners - and Seven West itself, the third stakeholder in awards organiser NewsMediaWorks.

Odds are stacked against the "small guys", which include McPherson Media Group, The Fiji Times, and Hong Kong/Taiwan-based Next Digital, whose Apple Daily editions have previously been a 'hard-to-beat' entry in run of press print, which is reduced to a single category this year.

In addition to its pole position in the NMAs, News Corp Australia also holds its own annual inhouse awards competition.

NewsMediaWorks says more than 500 entries were submitted by publishers from Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific. They recognise excellence in categories covering advertising, marketing, technical, product innovation, executive excellence, and photography. Overall news brand awards now replace the former Newspaper of the Year awards.

Chief executive Peter Miller says the rebranded awards place a new emphasis on platform agnostic news brands, and are an important step forwards. "Publishers have embraced the revised format and categories, which reflect the changing nature of news brands to meet the needs of advertisers and readers, where trust in their media choices to provide quality, credible journalism is critical."

The News Media Awards gala dinner is at the Hilton Sydney on September 14 following the Inform News Media Summit, and will be hosted by The Chaser's Craig Reucassel and Andrew Hansen.

Finalists are:

ADVERTISING FINALISTS

Best execution of print advertising for a client: Community- The Goulburn Post for Kindy Kids Feature (Fairfax Media); North Shore Times for Seven Bridges Walk and help beat Cancer (News Corp Australia); Hornsby Advocate for Christmas Gift Guide (News Corp Australia); Wentworth Courier for Future Leaders (News Corp Australia); Moreton Life Magazine for MBRIT and Moreton Bay Regional Council (News Corp Australia); The Fairfield Advance and The Liverpool Leader for Mounties 50th Birthday Celebrations (News Corp Australia).

Regional- The Examiner for The Examiner 175 (Fairfax Media); Explore Tasmania for Country Club Tasmania (Fairfax Media); The Examiner for Launceston Swim School (Fairfax Media); Newcastle Herald for HMRI 20th Anniversary (Fairfax Media).

National/metro- Sunday Telegraph & Sunday Herald Sun for #SamDay (News Corp Australia); Sunday Mail Adelaide/Sunday Herald Sun for Colours of Impressionism (News Corp Australia); Courier-Mail for Get Set For The Games (News Corp Australia); The New Zealand Herald for The Ghan Expedition (NZME); The Daily Telegraph/The Sunday Telegraph for Vogue American Express Fashion Night Out (News Corp Australia); The New Zealand Herald for Women in Leadership (NZME).

Best execution of digital advertising for a client: Community- The Riverine Herald for Game On (McPherson Media Group); Quest Community News for Keep Your Children Home Day (News Corp Australia).

National/metro- NZME for Click & Play in the USA (NZME); The Sydney Morning Herald & The Age for Small Business Campaign (Fairfax Media); The Daily Telegraph for Mamma Mia Homepage Buyout (News Corp Australia); Herald Sun for Phillip Island Nature Parks (News Corp Australia); The Courier-Mail and News Digital Networks for Suncorp Home Lending Consumer Journey Data Alignment (News Corp Australia); The Daily Telegraph for SuperCoach (News Corp Australia).

Best execution of native advertising for a client (open)- The Australian Financial Review for Top 100 Accounting Firms (Fairfax Media); The Courier-Mail and News Digital Networks for Small Business Owners Federal Budget (News Corp Australia); The New Zealand Herald for The Survivors Collection (NZME); Kidspot for Keep Your Children Home Day (News Corp Australia); The New Zealand Herald for Viva - An insider's guide to Wellington (NZME); The Sydney Morning Herald & The Age for Small Business Campaign (Fairfax Media).

Best execution of integrated advertising for a client (open)- NZME for This is Where Brand USA (NZME); News Prestige Network for French Finery (News Corp Australia); Courier-Mail for Get Set For The Games (News Corp Australia); NZME for The Ghan Expedition (NZME); The Daily Telegraph for The TAB Everest 2017 (News Corp Australia); Australian Metro Media for Adam Liaw content series (Fairfax Media).

Best innovation for an advertising client (open)- Daily Liberal for 40 Years In The Making - Taronga Western Plains Zoo (Fairfax Media); The Daily Telegraph for Dads v Dads 2017 (News Corp Australia); The Australian for Daze Point Travel Research (News Corp Australia); Moreton Life Magazine for MBRIT and Moreton Bay Regional Council (News Corp Australia); The Canberra Times, The Illawarra Mercury & The Standard, Warrnambool for Next Level Tour Campaign (Fairfax Media).

MARKETING FINALISTS

Best trade marketing campaign (open)- NZME for Audiences Captured; Australian Community Media for When words are not enough - Emoji campaign (Fairfax Media); The Courier-Mail for Expect More - Real estate vendor (News Corp Australia); The Sydney Morning Herald for Breaking the Story (Fairfax Media); Quest Community News for News ADvance Program (News Corp Australia); The Prestige Network flor Luxury on Demand (News Corp Australia).

Best consumer brand campaign (open)- The Australian for For the Informed Australian (News Corp Australia); The New Zealand Herald for Discover More (NZME); The Daily Telegraph for GWS Giants Partnership Activation (News Corp Australia); The Sydney Morning Herald & The Age for Always (Fairfax Media); Hawkesbury Gazette for We Are Hawkesbury (Fairfax Media); News Corp Metro & Regional titles for We're For You (News Corp Australia).

Best Subscriber acquisition campaign (open)- NZME for The Creative DM Design Challenge (NZME); The Australian for Big Year (News Corp Australia); News Regional Media for Free Coffee Machine (News Corp Australia); Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Advertiser, The Courier-Mail, Gold Coast Bulletin, Townsville Bulletin, Cairns Post, Geelong Advertiser, The Mercury, NT News for News and Headphones (News Corp Australia); The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Courier-Mail, The Advertiser for App Only Campaign (NewsCorp Australia); The Sydney Morning Herald & The Age for Summer Sale (Fairfax Media).

Best community or social-purpose initiative (open)- News Community for Do Something! Day 2017 (News Corp Australia); Leader Community News for Feed Melbourne (News Corp Australia); The Courier-Mail for Future Brisbane (News Corp Australia); Community News Group for Local Government Election Voter Turnout Campaign (News Corp Australia/Seven West Media); Sunday Star-Times for Favourite Teacher Awards - Matilda, the Musical (Stuff); The Dominion Post, The Press, Sunday Star Times, Nelson Mail, Marlborough Express, Waikato Times for Wasp Wipeout 2018 - Tasman Environmental Trust (Stuff); Hawkesbury Gazette for We Are Hawkesbury (Fairfax Media).

TECHNICAL FINALISTS

Best run of press (open)- Apple Daily Taiwan for Apple Daily Taiwan (Next Digital); Apple Daily Hong Kong for Apple Daily Hong Kong (Next Digital); Yandina Print Centre for Bundaberg News Mail (News Corp Australia); Canberra Print Centre for Canberra Times (Fairfax Media); Darwin Print Centre for NT News (News Corp Australia); Yandina Print Centre for Fraser Coast Chronicle (News Corp Australia).

Print centre of the year (open)- North Richmond Print Centre for The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media); Yandina Print Centre for Sunshine Coast Daily (News Corp Australia); Townsville Print Centre for Townsville Bulletin (News Corp Australia).

Product innovation: Best use of print (open)- Executive Style for Executive Style magazine (Fairfax Media); Geelong Advertiser for GT Journal Magazine (News Corp Australia); Herald Sun for Footy18 (News Corp Australia); Moreton Life Magazine for Moreton Life Magazine (News Corp Australia); The Courier-Mail for S.O.S - Save Our Schoolkids (News Corp Australia); The Daily Telegraph, The Courier-Mail, The Herald Sun for Travel Tuesday - Escape Everyday Series (News Corp Australia).

DIGITAL FINALISTS

Best use of digital (open)- Stuff for Black Hands (Stuff); The Age for Catholic Inc - what the church is really worth (Fairfax Media); The Daily Telegraph for Eight Minutes (News Corp Australia); theage.com.au for How to spot a rip (Fairfax Media); nzherald.co.nz for nzherald.co.nz redesign (NZME); theage.com.au for The retirement racket (Fairfax Media).

Best use of mobile (open)- The New Zealand Herald for nzherald.co.nz redesign (NZME); Stuff.co.nz for The Valley - Stuff Circuit (Stuff); The Australian for The Australian app (News Corp Australia).

Innovation of the year (open)- News Regional Media for A Digital Playbook for Every Newsroom (News Corp Australia); The Australian for cn.theaustralian.com.au (News Corp Australia); Community Newspapers for Footy Radio (Community News Group); The New Zealand Herald and The Weekend Herald for Herald Innovation (NZME); The Courier-Mail for S.O.S - Save Our Schoolkids (News Corp Australia); Stuff.co.nz for The Valley - Stuff Circuit (Stuff).

HEGARTY SCHOLARSHIP FOR BEST YOUNG EXECUTIVE (UNDER 35)

Holly Yates, group sales director for travel and entertainment, Daily Telegraph (News Corp Australia);

Jordan Philp, editor, Fraser Coast Chronicle (News Corp Australia);

Lauren Moloney, head of digital business development, News Xtend (News Corp Australia);

Robert Tidball, research and insights analyst, Australian Community Media (Fairfax Media);

Nadja Fleet, editor in chief, Messenger Community News (News Corp Australia);

Tyla Harrington, deputy editor, The Riverine Herald (McPherson Media Group).

NEWS MEDIA EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

Fred Wesley, editor in chief, The Fiji Times;

Guy Turner, insights and strategy director, Community News Group.

NEWS BRAND FINALISTS

Community news brand of the year- Inner West Courier (News Corp Australia); Manly Daily (News Corp Australia); The Maitland Mercury (Fairfax Media); Stirling Times (Community News Group); The City and Fringe (News Corp Australia); The Coffs Coast Advocate (News Corp Australia); The Gympie Times (News Corp Australia); The Northern Miner (News Corp Australia).

Regional news brand of the year- Gold Coast Bulletin (News Corp Australia); Newcastle Herald (Fairfax Media); NT News (News Corp Australia); The Fiji Times (Fiji Times Ltd); The Mercury Hobart (News Corp Australia); Townsville Bulletin (News Corp Australia).

Daily news brand of the year (open)- The Daily Telegraph (News Corp Australia); Stuff (Stuff Ltd); The Age (Fairfax Media); The Australian (News Corp Australia); The Australian Financial Review (Fairfax Media); The New Zealand Herald (NZME).

Weekend news brand of the year (open)- AFR Weekend (Fairfax Media); Sunday Star-Times (Stuff); The Age (Fairfax Media); The Weekend Australian (News Corp Australia); The Weekend Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media); Weekend New Zealand Herald (NZME).

For News story of the year and Photography categories, see: http://www.newsmediaworks.com.au/2018-nma-finalists/

Winner of the News Brand of the Year award - chosen from the winners of

community, regional, daily and weekend news brand of the year categories - will be announced on the night.

Judges for 2018 were Adrianne Nixon, Alan Oakley, Andy Moger, Ben Sharp, Brian Hill, Bruce Davidson, Camila Carmody, Charlie Murdoch, Chelsea Wymer, Cheryl Stanion, Chris Freel, Damien Munday, David Krug, David Roles, Ed Efchak, Eva Rinaldi, Gerard Noonan, Grant Booker, Ian Moore, Jane Ractliffe (nee Schulze), Janine Perrett, Jason Howard, Jodie Sangster, John Trevorrow, Julia Spencer, Karyn Krawford, Kellie Northwood, Linda Wong, Magdoom Mohamed, Mal Dale, Mark Dadswell, Mark Sharman, Michael Van Wyk, Miguel D'Souza, Nic Hodges, Nicole McInnes, Peter Miller, Phillip Campbell, Rick Neville, Rick Slowgrove, Rosie Baker, Steve Packham, Sunita Gloster, Ted Horton, Tim Bauer, Tim Burrowes, Tony Gillies, Udesh Gunatunga, Virginia Hyland.

For further information or to register to attend the News Media Awards or the Inform News Media Summit visit www.informsummit.com