Close to 500 people are set to gather at the annual Canon Media Awards tonight to recognise New Zealand's top journalists at the country's largest media showcase.
The awards, held in the ballroom of Auckland's Pullman Hotel, will look at the best in print, digital and a wide range of disciplines including reporting, feature writing, photography and design.
This year the black tie event has attracted its highest ever attendance of nearly 500 people and broken records with the number of entries. Judges have received more than 1400 entries across 56 categories, including 7000 individual pieces of work.
The entries will be judged by 26 experts from New Zealand, Australia and Asia.
The New Zealand Herald titles have again earned more than 30 category finalists.
The Herald is a finalist for Newspaper of the Year (over 30,000 circulation), Best Newspaper Design and Best Digital Breaking News Coverage.
Herald on Sunday and Weekend Herald are up for Weekly Newspaper of the Year, and nzherald.co.nz is up for Best Online News Site and Best Website.
The Weekend Herald is also a Best Newspaper Design finalist.
Herald insert The Business is up for Best Newspaper Inserted Magazine, and Windows 8 app for Best Innovation in New Technologies.
See below for a full list of this year's finalists:
Best Digital Breaking News Coverage
Easy Rider Boat tragedy - The Southland Times
Paritutu outdoor pursuits tragedy - Taranaki Daily News
West Auckland tornado - The New Zealand Herald
Best Digital Community Interaction
Stuff Nation
Waikato 100-Waikato Times
Zone Life - The Press
Best Innovation in Multimedia Storytelling
Stuff - School Report
The Press - Zone Life
Waikato Times - Our Waikato 100
Best Innovation in New Technologies
NZ Listener - Responsive web design
Stuff Nation
The New Zealand Herald - windows 8 app
Best Video
Mark Taylor - Waikato Times
Mike Scott - Waikato Times
Shane Morton - stuff.co.nz
Best Online News Site
hbtoday.co.nz
nzherald.co.nz
stuff.co.nz
Best Website
nz.yahoo.com
nzherald.co.nz
stuff.co.nz
Best Artwork
Alastair Hughes - The Dominion Post
Anna Crichton - The New Zealand Herald/Metro
Richard Dale - The New Zealand Herald
Best Columnist
Jane Clifton - NZ Listener
John Armstrong - The New Zealand Herald
John Lapsley - Otago Daily Times
Best Headline
Jim Curran - Pagemasters
Jo Knight - Sunday Magazine, Sunday Star-Times
Jonathan Milne - Herald on Sunday
Best Investigation
Clio Francis/John Hartevelt, Andy Ball, Cameron Roberts - The Dominion Post
David Fisher - The New Zealand Herald
Martin van Beynen - The Press
Phil Kitchin - The Dominion Post
Cartoonist of the Year
Hayden Smith - Otago Daily Times
Peter Bromhead - Herald on Sunday
Tom Scott - The Dominion Post
Editorial Writer of the Year
Rebecca Macfie - NZ Listener
Simon Wilson - Metro
Virginia Larson - North & South
Reviewer of the Year
Diana Wichtel - NZ Listener
James Croot - The Press
Trevor Agnew - The Press
Newspaper of the Year (over 30,000 circulation)
The Dominion Post
The New Zealand Herald
The Press
Newspaper of the Year (up to 30,000 circulation)
Bay of Plenty Times
The Southland Times
Wairarapa Times-Age
Weekly Newspaper of the Year
Herald on Sunday
The Dominion Post Weekend
Weekend Herald
Community Newspaper of the Year
Kapi-Mana News
Lake District and Central Otago News
Mountain Scene
The North Shore Times
The Star
Best Newspaper Design
Taranaki Daily News
The New Zealand Herald
The Weekend Herald
Best Newspaper Inserted Magazine
The Business - The New Zealand Herald
Your Weekend - The Press
Junior Newspaper Feature Writer of the Year
Aimie Cronin - Waikato Times
Celeste Gorrell Anstiss - Herald on Sunday
Simon Day - Sunday Star-Times
Newspaper Feature Writer Arts and Entertainment
Adam Dudding - Sunday Star-Times
Catherine Woulfe - Sunday Magazine/Sunday Star-Times
Tom Cardy - The Dominion Post
Newspaper Feature Writer Business
Geoff Cumming - Weekend Herald
Greg Dixon - The New Zealand Herald
Phil Taylor - Weekend Herald
Newspaper Feature Writer Human Relations
Catherine Woulfe - Sunday Magazine/Sunday Star-Times
Steve Kilgallon - Sunday Star-Times
Tony Wall - Sunday Star-Times
Newspaper Feature Writer Lifestyle
Aimie Cronin - Waikato Times
Bruce Munro - Otago Daily Times
Catherine Woulfe - Sunday Magazine/Sunday Star-Times
Newspaper Feature Writer Politics
John McCrone - The Press
Philip Matthews - The Press
Tracy Watkins - The Dominion Post
Newspaper Feature Writer Science and Environment
Chris Barton - The New Zealand Herald
Jamie Morton - The New Zealand Herald
Russell Blackstock - Herald on Sunday
Newspaper Feature Writer Sport
Ben Stanley - Sunday Star-Times
Paul Lewis - Herald on Sunday
Phil Taylor - Weekend Herald
Senior Newspaper Feature Writer of the Year
Adam Dudding - Sunday Star-Times
Martin van Beynen - The Press
Steve Kilgallon - Sunday Star-Times
Tony Wall - Sunday Star-Times
Press Photographer of the Year - Senior
David White - NZ Listener
Lawrence Smith - Fairfax Media
Stephen Parker - Daily Post
Press Photographer of the Year - Junior
Doug Field - The Southland Times
Emma Allen - The Marlborough Express
Virginia Woolf - Nelson Mail
Best Feature Photo
Natasha Martin - Timaru Herald
Sarah Ivey - The New Zealand Herald
Paul Taylor - Hawke's Bay Today
Best News Picture
Cameron Burnell - Taranaki Daily News
Kent Blechynden - The Dominion Post
Robert Charles - Taranaki Daily News
Best Photo Essay or Slideshow
Hannah Johnston - Getty Images
Richard Robinson - The New Zealand Herald
Tim Cuff - Freelance
Best Sports Picture
Andrew Cornaga - Photosport
Andy Jackson - Taranaki Daily News
Iain McGregor - The Press
Best Portrait
David White - NZ Listener
Robert Kitchin - Manawatu Standard
Stephen Parker - Daily Post
Best Magazine Design
Good
Home
North & South
Best News Stand Magazine
Home
Metro
New Zealand Geographic
Best Trade or Professional Magazine
Idealog
New Zealand Doctor
Young Country
Magazine Feature Writer of the Year
Donna Chisholm - North & South
Duncan Greive - Metro
Joanna Wane - North & South
Mike White - North & South
Magazine Feature Writer Arts and Entertainment
Diana Wichtel - NZ Listener
Mike White - North & South
Steve Braunias - Metro
Magazine Feature Writer Business & Science
Donna Chisholm - North & South
Mike White - North & South
Rebecca Macfie - NZ Listener
Magazine Feature Writer Lifestyle
Donna Chisholm - North & South
Mike White - North & South
Pamela Wade - North & South
Magazine Feature Writer Politics
Guyon Espiner - NZ Listener
Mike White - North & South
Simon Wilson - Metro
Magazine Feature Writer Social Issues
Aaron Smale - Mana
Joanna Wane - North & South
Mary de Ruyter - North & South
Magazine Feature Writer Sport
Donna Chisholm - North & South
Duncan Greive - Metro
Simon Wilson - Metro
Emergency services were called to the scene about 8.30pm.