nzherald.co.nz editor Jeremy Rees said: "This is an unprecedented win for us and something the online team are incredibly proud of. Over the past six years we've taken out the top honours six times, winning best news website four times, including three consecutive years - 2007, 2008, 2009 and best website twice - 2011 and 2012."
Rees said the past year was an extraordinary year for New Zealand journalism, with significant events such as the Christchurch earthquake, Rugby World Cup and the Rena disaster.
"We've focused a lot of attention on the quality of our digital storytelling and this has really paid off with readers spending more time during a site visit on nzherald.co.nz than any other New Zealand news website."
The Weekend Herald's winning entry included coverage of the Christchurch earthquake, the Rugby World Cup and numerous exclusive stories including the shabby treatment of veterans going to commemorate the Battle of Crete and top law enforcement officials drinking the champagne of a man they were prosecuting.
The paper's aim was to be compelling, readable and brightly packaged with a relaxed weekend feel at the same time as it tackled the serious issues of our time through investigations and in-depth journalism.
It also explored the exciting new possibilities of story-telling and conveying information on digital platforms.
As well as being best paper overall this year, it was judged best weekly for the second year in a row, and Canvas magazine was best newspaper-inserted magazine, also for the second year in a row.
The judges saw the Weekend Herald as being thought-provoking, strong and committed to great use of graphics and photography.
"The quality of editing is clear in choice of features and news selection. Columnists are high quality. An outstanding newspaper," they said.
The Sydney judge added: "I'd buy this paper before any offered in Sydney on a weekend."
In the newspaper-inserted magazine category, the judges said three stood out and they included the Herald's midweek Viva magazine.
But Canvas was judged the winner.
"It consistently delivers consumers with a bright, buzzy, informative weekend reading treat," said the judges.
APN papers have now won the best paper award five years in a row - the New Zealand Herald (2011), the Herald on Sunday (2010, 2008) and the Weekend Herald (2009, 2012).
New Zealand Herald writers and photographers featured strongly in the awards. Alan Gibson was named Press Photographer of the Year.
The judges said his portfolio showed a variety of skills over many subjects, from a touching moment between mother and child to his dramatic sports picture of an airborne kayaker.
All of his images had impact and could have made the front page of any newspaper.
Cartoonist of the year was the Herald's Monday cartoonist Guy Body. The judges said Body's fresh perspective was delivered in a simple, economical style to ensure an instant reader response.
Herald senior graphic artist Richard Dale won the award for the best artwork for a portfolio of drawings and infographics. The judges singled out his artwork on the royal wedding for capturing all the glamour and craziness in one dramatic scene.
"Nothing is left out, but it is all finely balanced so as not to be overwhelming."
Reviewer of the Year was TimeOut editor Russell Baillie. The judges described him as "an incisive writer who is generous when warmed by promises fulfilled and acidic when he's not. Concerts, movies and television - he's versatile with a good nose for audience preferences".
Chris Barton, Claire Trevett and Karyn Scherer won feature writing awards.
The Herald and its reporters and photographers featured as finalists in 19 categories and best headline went to Nicholas Sorensen of Pagemasters for a heading published in the Herald.
David Fisher of the Herald on Sunday won the award for best business reporter.
Other APN publications also did well last night. The Bay of Plenty Times was named newspaper of the year (circulation up to 30,000), the Christchurch Star was best community paper and the Listener was the best news stand magazine.
The Christchurch Press won best daily newspaper for titles with a circulation of more than 30,000 for its coverage of the February earthquake, in which one of its staff died and its central city offices were destroyed.
Announcement of the award brought a standing ovation.
