Netguide announces finalists for Web Awards 04

Netguide magazine announces finalists for Web Awards 2004

Netguide magazine today announced the finalists in its annual Web Awards, the premier competition for recognising the best websites produced in New Zealand. Leading sites from across a range of categories as diverse as news, finance, e-tail and tourism through to youth, lifestyle and entertainment have been named as contenders for final honours.

Finalists have been chosen across sixteen categories, based on votes and nominations registered on Netguide’s website ( http://www.netguide.co.nz). (See attached backgrounder for list of finalists.)

“The competition decides who’s who on the web according to the people that know best – internet users themselves. The list of finalists is in itself a great asset for anyone looking for online services, entertainment or information. The sites that ultimately win their categories will certainly be the cream of the crop,” said Debra Millar, ACP Media’s Group Publisher, Consumer Titles.

Winners will be selected based on an overall ranking, a combination of the number of votes received and their average rating out of 10 by voters. Special categories such as Most Innovative Use of the Web, Best Personal Blog, Best News Service and Best New Website or Relaunch will be decided by an independent panel of judges including international experts.

In addition to individual category prizes, sites are competing for the title of Site of the Year, awarded to the best website across all categories.

“The Site of the Year award really captures what the competition is all about. To win it a website has to be outstanding. It has to have great design, excellent content, original ideas and a real Kiwi flavour,” said Netguide Editor Nigel Horrocks.

The Web Awards are now in their 8th year, and among the finalists are a mix of past award winners and new contenders. Several sites, including nzherald.co.nz, tvnz.co.nz and xtramsn.co.nz, are finalists in multiple categories.

“The mix of new and returning finalists shows that New Zealanders are well served online and that there’s a healthy level of competition. Some consistently make it this far, but every year different sites make their way to the top – it’s clear that nobody’s place goes unchallenged,” said Nigel.

Winners will be announced at an awards evening at the Hyatt Regency Auckland on November 12, hosted by Jaquie Brown from TV channel C4 and featuring guest speaker Ralph Norris, Managing Director and CEO of Air New Zealand.

The event will run from 5.30 onwards, and there will be drinks, food and DJ entertainment for the evening. Dress for the evening is smart casual.

Media wishing to attend the awards should contact Rachel Catanach on 0274 322 784.

ENDS

For further information contact:

Debra Millar, ACP Group Publisher, Consumer Titles

021 279 7559

Nigel Horrocks, Editor, Netguide

09-366 9982

NetGuide Web Awards 2004 Finalists

Best Government site

http://www.companies.govt.nz

http://www.govt.nz

http://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz

http://www.ird.govt.nz

http://www.wellington.govt.nz

Best e-tail site

http://www.advintage.co.nz

http://www.ascent.co.nz

http://www.dse.co.nz

http://www.gpstore.co.nz

http://www.realgroovy.co.nz

http://www.woolworths.co.nz

Best Trading site

http://www.auctioncity.co.nz

http://www.oneway.co.nz

http://www.trade-exchange.co.nz

http://www.trademe.co.nz

http://www.traderpoint.co.nz

Best Lifestyle site

http://www.cuisine.co.nz

http://www.nzdating.com

http://www.nzweddingplanner.co.nz

http://www.toastmasters.org.nz

Best Entertainment site

http://www.biggie.co.nz

http://www.gameplanet.co.nz

http://www.tvnz.co.nz

http://www.village.co.nz

http://www.xtramsn.co.nz

Best Employment site

http://www.jobstuff.co.nz

http://www.netcheck.co.nz

http://www.nzherald.co.nz

http://www.seek.co.nz

http://www.sjs.co.nz

Best Youth site

http://www.gameplanet.co.nz

http://www.idolblog.com

http://www.nzflatmates.co.nz

http://www.nzgirl.co.nz

http://www.biggie.co.nz

http://www.tearaway.co.nz

Best Sports and Recreation site

http://www.allblacks.com

http://www.nzxsports.com

http://www.tvnz.co.nz

http://www.virtualnpc.co.nz

http://www.vorb.org.nz

http://www.xtramsn.co.nz

Best ISP

http://www.ihug.co.nz

http://www.inspire.net.nz

http://www.maxnet.co.nz

http://www.orcon.net.nz

http://www.paradise.net.nz

http://www.xtra.co.nz

Best Travel and Tourism Site

http://www.aatravel.co.nz

http://www.airnz.co.nz

http://www.houseoftravel.co.nz

http://www.newzealand.com

http://www.travel.co.nz

http://www.travelonline.co.nz

http://www.wotif.com

Best News Service

http://www.nzherald.co.nz

http://www.stuff.co.nz

http://www.tvnz.co.nz

http://www.xtramsn.co.nz

http://www.scoop.co.nz

http://www.ruralnews.co.nz

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz

Best Finance Site

http://www.sorted.org.nz

http://www.asbbank.co.nz

http://www.nbnz.co.nz

http://www.westpactrust.co.nz

http://www.anz.com/nz

http://www.bnz.co.nz

http://www.nzherald.co.nz

http://www.kiwibank.co.nz

Best Personal Blog

http://www.publicaddress.net

http://www.idolblog.com

http://bizgirl.blogspot.com

http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz

http://tylerryan.orcon.net.nz

Best new Web site /or relaunch

http://www.tvnz.co.nz

http://www.xtramsn.co.nz

http://www.metservice.co.nz

Netguide

NetGuide is New Zealand’s top selling technology magazine. Launched in September 1996, it quickly established itself as one of the country's fastest growing magazines. NetGuide has won numerous Qantas Media Awards and Magazine Publishers Association Awards, including best newsstand magazine and best cover. NetGuide is a consumer magazine providing consumers with access to the best of the web, and is written in an easy-to-read style accessible to anyone who uses the internet. Based on the magazine's success in New Zealand, a sister publication, Australian NetGuide, has been launched in Australia. NetGuide is published by ACP Media.

ACP Media

ACP Media is New Zealand’s leading magazine publisher. The company’s Consumer Division publishes some of the country’s most popular magazines, including Woman’s Day, The Australian Women’s Weekly and Next, and iconic titles such as Metro and North & South. The Property Classifieds Division’s stable includes Property Press and regional publications, Real Estate and Extra, while ACP Media’s Trader Division publishes a range of classified advertising titles, and owns New Zealand’s largest classifieds website, traderpoint.co.nz. ACP Media operates a national distribution network through its subsidiary Netlink, which distributes publications to retailers across the country. ACP Media is a subsidiary of Australian Consolidated Press Limited, a division of Publishing and Broadcasting Limited.

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