Print and digital excellence and innovation are recognised in the PANPA Newspaper of the Year contest, finalists for which were announced today.

Keen competition sees colleagues within the same group vie against each other for honours.

Will it be an APN Print site in Ballina or New Zealand – with six finalists between them – that wins the single-width (under 25,000 copies) technical excellence award, or perhaps one from rivals West Australian Newspapers of Fairfax, for example? Or Fairfax, APN Ballina or Allied Press who will take the middle 25,000-90,000category?

At least the 90,000 outcome is not in doubt: It’s going to An Apple Daily plant in Taiwan or Hong Kong. The only question is which one.

Categories for technical excellence also cover double-width sites, with APN, News and Fairfax prominent. But don’t underestimate the South China Morning Post or West Australian Newspapers.

Among digital finalists, finalists in innovation in digital publishing and storytelling are stuff.co.nz (Last Post, First Light), The Australian (Your School), stuff.co.nz & The Press (Earthquake Anniversary), thewest.com.au (After the Flame / ANZAC Tribute), heraldsun.com.au (True Crime Scene), ntnews.com.au (Social Media), Fairfax Media (Airlink).

The awards are presented at a gala dinner in Sydney on September 6, along with the heavyweight ‘Newspaper of the Year’ titles and other prizes.

Following are the technical excellence and digital publishing finalists:

SINGLE WIDTH

Up to 25,000 circulation

Finalists:

APN Print, Tweed Valley Weekly;

APN Print, Daily News, Ballina;

APN Print, Byron Shire News;

West Australian Newspapers, Geraldton Guardian;

APN Print Tauranga, Bay of Plenty Times;

APN Print Tauranga, Daily Post;

APN Print Wanganui, Wanganui Chronicle;

Rural Press, Hawkesbury Gazette.

SINGLE WIDTH

25,000-90,000 circ

Finalists:

Fairfax Regional Printers Beresfield, Newcastle Herald;

APN Print Ballina, Business Finda;

Allied Press Limited, Otago Daily Times;

Rural Press, The Land;

Rural Press, Blue Mountains Gazette.

SINGLE WIDTH

90,000+ circ

Finalists:

Apple Daily Publication Development Ltd (Taiwan branch) Apple Daily;

Sharp Daily Publishing Ltd (Taiwan branch), Sharp Daily;

Apple Daily Printing Ltd. (Hong Kong), Apple Daily;

Apple Daily Printing Ltd. (Hong Kong), Sharp Daily;

DOUBLE WIDTH

Up to 25,000 circ

Finalists:

APN Yandina, The Gympie Times;

APN Yandina, Fraser Coast Chronicle;

APN Yandina, Sunshine Coast Daily;

Fairfax Regional Printers, Australian Financial Review;

News Limited, Rouse Hill Times.

DOUBLE WIDTH

25,000-90,000 circ

Finalists:

West Australian Newspapers, Sound Telegraph;

News Limited, The Australian;

News Limited, Inner West Weekly;

Capital Fine Print, The Canberra Times;

News Limited, Liverpool Leader.

DOUBLE WIDTH

90,000+ circ

Finalists:

News Limited, The Manly Daily;

South China Morning Post Publishers Limited, South China Morning Post;

West Australian Newspapers, The West Australian;

APN Print Ellerlsie, New Zealand Herald

News Limited, mX;

News Limited, Daily Telegraph;

News Limited, Sunday Telegraph

PRE-PRINT/SUPPLEMENT

Up to 25,000 circ

Finalists:

The Gisborne Herald, "Gisborne Home & Lifestyle Expo";

West Australian Newspapers, "North West Lifestyle";

APN Print Tauranga, "Indulge";

Print Leader Tamworth (Fairfax), "New England Health Guide";

Print Leader Tamworth (Fairfax), "Education 2013"

PRE-PRINT/SUPPLEMENT

25,000-90,000 circ

Finalists:

Border Mail Printing, "Shepparton on Sale";

Border Mail Printing, "Out and About";

Capital Fine Print, "Black Opal Stakes";

Capital Fine Print, "Babies of 2011";

Border Mail Printing, "Border Mail Domain"

PRE-PRINT/SUPPLEMENT

90,000+ circ

Finalists:

South China Morning Post, "Timepieces";

West Australian Newspapers, "Travel";

West Australian Newspapers, "Habitat";

West Australian Newspapers, "Fresh";

News Limited, "Escape";

News Limited, "Best Weekend";

Fairfax NZ, "Zest";

Waikato Times (Fairfax NZ), Rugby World Cup

Environment

Finalists:

NewsLocal, APN News & Media, News Limited

Health & Safety

Finalists:

APN Print NZ, Print Leader, Tamworth (Fairfax Media), West Australian Newspapers

DIGITAL PUBLISHING

Digital News Destination – Metropolitan / National

Finalists:

heraldsun.com.au, afr.com.au, couriermail.com.au, theaustralian.com.au, canberratimes.com.au, brisbanetimes.com.au, straitstimes.com, stuff.co.nz, AsiaOne, Advertiser Newsmedia (South Australia)

Digital News Destination – Rural / Regional / Suburban

Finalists:

ntnews.com.au, questnews.com.au, sunshinescoastdaily.com.au, courier.com.au, theadvocate.com.au, www.mmg.com.au (McPherson Media Group)

Digital News Destination – Mobile or App (Metropolitan / National)

Finalists:

Herald Sun (iPad), The Straits Times (m-site), Daily Telegraph (m-site), AsiaOne (iPhone), The Australian (m-site), Australian Financial Review (iPad), stuff.co.nz (m-site), The Age (iPad), The Sydney Morning Herald (iPad)

Digital News Destination – Mobile or App: Rural / Regional / Suburban

Finalists:

The Courier (Ballarat) (iPhone), The Advocate (Burnie) (iPhone)

Digital News Destination – Specialty & Niche Website or Apps (Open)

Finalists:

stuff.co.nz (Rugby World Cup, app), AsiaOne (Your Health, web), Singapore Press Holdings (Razor Share Campaigns, web), stuff.co.nz & The Press (Earthquake Anniversary, web), News Queensland (Smashing the Blues, m-site)

Innovation in Digital Publishing & Storytelling

Finalists:

stuff.co.nz (Last Post, First Light), The Australian (Your School), stuff.co.nz & The Press (Earthquake Anniversary), thewest.com.au (After the Flame / ANZAC Tribute), heraldsun.com.au (True Crime Scene), ntnews.com.au (Social Media), Fairfax Media (Airlink)

For a full list, go to website