The shortlist for the EDF Energy East of England Media Awards 2012 is announced today with the Eastern Daily Press leading the way with nine nominations.

Now in their eighth year, the awards aim to honour the best in journalism across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire (up to the M25).

Held in association with HoldtheFrontPage, the awards are due to be handed out at a ceremony in the East of England region next month.

Today’s shortlist also sees Archant Norfolk, ITV Anglia and the Basildon Echo receive seven nominations while the Essex Chronicle receives six and the Cambridge News five.

The EDP, the Echo and the Ipswich Star will do battle for the Newspaper of the Year prize, while the Echo’s multiple award winner Jon Austin is shortlisted for two awards.

Among the weekly titles the Bedford Midweek, Cambridge News and Crier and Hunts Post are shortlisted for best free newspaper, with the Brentwood Gazette, Clacton Gazette and Essex Chronicle up for paid for Weekly Newspaper of the Year.

EDF Energy’s Dan Pritchard said:  “It’s an impressive shortlist for a region that continues to generate quality output across a variety of channels, be that in print, broadcast or online.

“There’s a real mix of exciting newcomers and established names from across the region who impressed the judges and are worthy contenders.”

On the judging panel, which met on Thursday December 11, were Ian Murray, editor, and Gordon Sutter, assistant editor at the Southern Daily Echo, Mark Carter, programme editor at BBC Sussex and Surrey, Adrian Seal, editor of Trinity Mirror Southern, Nigel Bowles, director of John Connors Press Associates, Ian Carter, editorial director of the KM Group, Glenn Ebrey, editor of the Croydon Advertiser and Dan Pritchard, EDF Energy’s regional media manager.

The full shortlist is as follows:

Newcomer of the Year
Georgina Cotton, Essex Chronicle
James Drummond, Essex Chronicle
Amie Keeley, East Anglian Daily Times
Jacqueline McMillan, Echo
Charles Thomson, Yellow Advertiser

Digital Journalist of the Year
Michael Bailey, Archant Norfolk
Martin George, Eastern Daily Press

Specialist Journalist of the Year
Jon Austin, Basildon Echo
Elodie Harper, ITV Anglia
Chris Hill, Eastern Daily Press
Gina Marden, Basildon Echo
Lizzie Parry, Ipswich Star

News Photographer of the Year
Denise Bradley, Archant Norfolk
Ian Burt, Archant Norfolk
Nick Butcher, Archant Norfolk
Simon Finlay, Archant Norfolk
Matthew Usher, Eastern Daily Press

Sports Journalist of the Year
Michael Bailey, Archant Norfolk
Donovan Blake, ITV Anglia
Chris Brammer, Ipswich Star/ EADT
Dave Gooderham, East Anglian Daily Times/ Ipswich Star
Jim Rice, ITV Anglia

Feature Writer of the Year
Colin Adwent, Archant Suffolk
Wendy Brading, Newsquest Essex
Stacia Briggs, Eastern Daily Press
Emma Higginbotham, Cambridge News
Keiron Pim, Eastern Daily Press

Columnist of the Year
Dave Bromage, Herts & Essex Observer
Paul Kirkley, Cambridge News
David Powles, Norwich Evening News
Ellen Widdup, East Anglian Daily Times

Designer of the Year
Annette Hudson, Archant Norfolk
Alex Leys, Brentwood Gazette
Le-anne Reeve, Archant Suffolk

Radio Journalist of the Year
Samantha Appleby, BBC Cambridge
James Melley, BBC Essex
David Paramore, Heart Essex

Television Journalist
Emma Baker, ITV Anglia
Elodie Harper, ITV Anglia
Kate Prout, ITV Anglia
Debbie Tubby, BBC East
Jonathan Wills, ITV Anglia

Print Journalist of the Year (Weekly)
Sophia Charalambous, Essex Chronicle
James Drummond, Essex Chronicle
Gemma Gardner, Hertfordshire Mercury
Faye McBride, Essex Chronicle
Neil Speight, Essex Enquirer
Lui Straccia, Luton on Sunday

Print Journalist of the Year (Daily)
Jon Austin, Basildon Echo
Matt Gaw, Archant Suffolk
Melissa Hills, Basildon Echo
Gina Marden, Basildon Echo

Website of the Year
www.cambridge-news.co.uk
www.edp24.co.uk
www.pinkun.com

Community Campaign of the Year
Say yes to better broadband in Norfolk, Eastern Daily Press
Cassie’s law, Essex County Standard
A friend in need, Norwich Evening News

Front Page of the Year
Our wedding nightmare, Cambridge News
60 Jubilee, Cambridge News
Roads of death, Essex County Standard
I will bring Wills!, Ipswich Star
Farewell to a city legend, Norwich Evening News

Radio News/Current Affairs Programme of the Year
The Dave Monk Show, BBC Essex
Heart Essex
The Ray Clark Breakfast Show, BBC Essex
1962 – The Golden Year of Ipswich, BBC Suffolk

Television News/Current Affairs Programme of the Year
BBC TV East Inside Out
BBC East Late Kick Off
ITV Anglia

Weekly Newspaper of the Year (Free)
Bedford Midweek
Cambridge News and Crier
The Hunts Post

Weekly Newspaper of the Year (Paid-for)
Brentwood Gazette
Clacton Gazette
Essex Chronicle

Daily Newspaper of the Year
Basildon Echo
Eastern Daily Press
Ipswich Star