The Yorkshire Post is heading the shortlist in this year’s O2 Media Awards for Yorkshire and The Humber with nine nominations.

Editorial staff from the Johnston Press-owned daily have been shortlisted in seven of the 14 award categories, including newspaper of the year, features journalist of the year and photographer of the year.

The Press, York, also features in the line-up for the awards, after being shortlisted for four categories.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony on 22 July at The Loft in Leeds.

The Sheffield Star, Hull Daily Mail and Bradford Telegraph and Argus are also nominated for awards.

Just two newspapers will fight for the weekly newspaper of the year title, the Keighley News and the South Yorkshire Times, after judges criticised several of the entries for ‘lacklustre design’ and poor headline writing.

Ann McCracken, O2 communications manager in the north, said there had been a record number of entries this year.

She said: “We are delighted to celebrate the huge service local and regional journalists provide to communities across Yorkshire and The Humber.”

Judges included Richard Catlow, chairman of the Society of Editors, and Maria McGeoghan, editor of the Manchester Evening News.

The full shortlist is:

Digital Journalist of the Year

Nick Westby, Yorkshire Post
David Behrens, Yorkshire Post
Rick Burin, Harrogate Advertiser

Feature Writer of the Year

Stephen Lewis, The Press, York
Tom Richmond, Yorkshire Post
Ian Midgley, Hull Daily Mail

Photographer of the Year

Anthony Chappel-Ross, The Press, York
Stephen Garnett, Craven Herald
Simon Hulme, The Yorkshire Post

Sports Journalist of the Year

Paul Walker, BBC Radio Sheffield
Martin Smith, The Star Sheffield
Tom Richmond, Yorkshire Post

Young Journalist of the Year – Dailies

Emma Blackburn, BBC Look North
Laura Bowyer, Yorkshire Evening Post
Jennifer Bell, The Press, York

Young Journalist of the Year – Weeklies

Kate Mason, Doncaster Free Press
Rick Burin, Harrogate Advertiser
Kate Liptrot, Doncaster Free Press

Reporter of the Year

David Roberts, Northern Echo
Louise Eccles, Hull Daily Mail
Gavin Aitchison, The Press, York

Business Journalist of the Year

Chris Holland, Telegraph and Argus
Greg Wright, Yorkshire Post
Bernard Ginns, Yorkshire Post

Scoop of the Year

The Star, Sheffield
Radio York
Yorkshire Post

Editorial Team of the Year

Rotherham Advertiser
BBC Radio Leeds

Newspaper of the Year – Weekly

South Yorkshire Times
Keighley News

Newspaper of the Year – Daily

Yorkshire Post
The Star, Sheffield
Hull Daily Mail