Industry body NewsMediaWorks has announced a new look for its annual news publishing awards, combining the former PANPA Newspaper of the Year Awards and the Advertising and Marketing Awards to create the News Media Awards.

An important evolution in the awards criteria that reflects audience engagement across print and digital is a new emphasis on platform agnostic news brands.

And for the first time, relevant categories are open to advertising creative developed either in-house by advertisers, by publishers or by a third party such as an agency.

The awards recognise excellence in cross-platform news publishing in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific.

NewsMediaWorks CEO Peter Miller said: “Our awards have been a highlight on the publishing calendar since their inception some 49 years ago.

“As the news media sector evolves to embrace new ways of connecting quality, trusted journalism with audiences across platforms, so too must the awards program evolve to remain relevant to the publishers and products it represents.

“Successful news media organisations have always been a collaboration between both content and commercial teams – one cannot survive without the other.

“To reflect this, we are returning to a combined awards program to recognise and celebrate these equally important aspects of our sector.

“We are excited to launch a fresh awards program that continues to recognise excellence in the people, the products, the purpose and performance of news media brands today.”

The new-look 2018 News Media Awards gala dinner will be held on Friday 14 September at the Hilton Sydney, at the conclusion of the annual INFORM News Media Summit. Entries to the awards open on Monday 12 March and close on Friday 27 April.

The News Media Awards are sponsored by Media Super, Norske Skog, AAP, DIC, and UnLtd.

Here are the categories for the awards:

News

News Brand of the Year (daily, weekend, regional, community and overall winner)

News Story of the Year

Advertising

Best Execution of Print Advertising for a Client

Best Execution of Digital Advertising for a Client

Best Execution of Native Advertising for a Client

Best Execution of Integrated Advertising for a Client

Best Innovation for an Advertising Client

Marketing

Best Trade Marketing Campaign

Best Consumer Brand Campaign

Best Subscriber Acquisition Campaign

Best Community or Social-Purpose Initiative

Product innovation

Best Use of Print

Best Use of Digital

Best Use of Mobile

Innovation of the Year

Photography

Portrait, Feature or Lifestyle Photography

Sport Photography

News Photography

Photographic Essay

Technical

Best Run of Press

Print Centre of the Year

Executive Excellence

Hegarty Scholarship for Best Young Executive (under 35)

News Media Executive of the Year