This is the paper that demonstrates the most substantial improvement in quality, engagement and relevance to its readers across all media platforms available.

This award is open to News Limited papers and is judged on innovation and success in responding to challenges, not on resources or highest circulation.

Who can enter

This award is open to all News Limited newspapers.

Metropolitan daily and Sunday newspapers, The Australian and mX may enter only this category.

Papers entering the Regional and Community Newspaper of the Year categories will be entered to this category automatically.

Criteria

Improvements need to be demonstrated by a combination of:

• News breaking and campaigning in the public interest
• Engagement with the community on important public issues
• Original and leading coverage across print and digital assets
• Innovation, creativity and performance as a multi-platform publisher
• Editorial innovation to meet the challenges of circulation, readership and revenue and to strengthen the brand
• Best use of available resources, talent development and leadership 
• Design, layout and artwork

What to submit

1. A supporting statement of up to 1200 words, plus any relevant supporting documentation, to show how the entry meets the selection criteria,
2. Two copies of your newspaper from within the judging period. These may be two copies of the same edition, or separate editions from different dates.

Your paper’s website address or links – if applicable - should be provided in your supporting statement.

Important note to editors

Your supporting statement provides the context to judge your entry. It is the most important element of your submission. You need to be detailed and specific in addressing how your paper meets the criteria. Your entry is not judged on the quality of the printed newspaper alone and will be assessed on your innovation and use of other available platforms to increase penetration of your potential audience.

Please include details of how your newspaper had a competitive advantage over not just print rivals but also other media outlets and websites.

Who can nominate

Entries for Newspaper of the Year must be lodged by editors, editors-in-chief or divisional managing directors.

What to enter

Entries in previous years have become elaborate productions, with attachments or inclusions which made the file sizes too large and time consuming for judges to open. Please remember your submission is NOT for publication and does not need to be high resolution. The document needs to be read, not reproduced. The entry will be judged on its content, NOT its appearance. Please keep file sizes down. Ideally, entries should be less than 10MB.

Please note that video entries will not be accepted for this category.

Newspaper copies ONLY can be sent in the internal mail (where this service is provided) to News Awards, c/o Corporate Affairs, Level 5, News Limited, 2 Holt Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010.