The shortlist for the EDF Energy London and the South of England Media Awards has been announced.

The awards, held in association with HoldtheFrontPage, saw 313 entries across 20 categories, with 39 entries for Newcomer of the Year and 37 for Weekly Print Journalist of the Year.

Leading the way in the race for nominations are The Argus in Brighton, the Bournemouth Daily Echo and Southern Daily Echo, which have each been shortlisted six times, including for the Daily Newspaper of the Year prize.

The Croydon Advertiser makes it on to five shortlists, including Front Page, Weekly Print Journalist and Weekly Newspaper of the Year, while The News in Portsmouth received four nominations, including Website and Daily Print Journalist of the Year.

Now in their ninth year, the awards aim to honour the best in journalism across London, Dorset, Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey, East and West Sussex and Kent.

Tim McCoy, EDF Energy’s Head of Media Relations, said: “We’re delighted to once again be supporting regional journalism in London and the South of England. The standard of entries was high across the board and reveals that local journalism is still a force to be reckoned with. Well done to all those who made it to this year’s shortlists.”

On the judging panel were Laurence Reed, of BBC Cornwall, Paul Burton, editor of Exeter’s Express and Echo, David George, of BBC Spotlight, Simon Parker, editor of Cornwall Living, Marc Astley, editor of the Exeter Daily, Gordon Richardson, business editor of the Express and Echo and photographer Matt Austin.

The full shortlist is as follows.

Newcomer of the Year

Rachael Burnett, Dorset Echo
Sarah Cooper, ITV News Meridian
Michael Davies, Surrey Mirror Series
Lewis Dean, East Grinstead Courier and Observer
Bill Gardner, The Argus, Brighton
Beckie Williams, BBC South East Today

Digital Journalist of the Year

Neil Allen, The News, Portsmouth
Gareth Davies, Croydon Advertiser
Dan Kerins Southampton Daily Echo
Hannah Williamson, Croydon Guardian

Specialist Journalist of the Year

Colin Campbell, BBC South East Today
Simon Harris, ITV News London
Guy Lynn, BBC London
Jenny Makin, Southern Daily Echo
Anna Roberts, The Argus

Sports Journalist of the Year

Tim Ashton, Newsquest South London,
Rags Martel, ITV News London
Sally Simmonds, ITV Meridian
Andy Steggall, Pergall Media / BBC South
Simon Walter, Southern Daily Echo

Designer of the Year

Ashley Austen, KM Group
Laura Gooch, Newsquest
Alex Leys, Croydon Advertiser

News Photographer of the Year

Terry Applin, The Argus
Simon Dack, The Argus
Chris Moorhouse, Southern Daily Echo
Kevin Shaw, Crawley News / East Grinstead Courier Observer
Matt Watson, Southern Daily Echo

Feature Writer of the Year

Faith Eckersall, Bournemouth Daily Echo
Alice Hutton, Camden New Journal
Richard Osley, Camden New Journal
Christopher Owen, The News

Columnist of the Year

Maria Box, Crawley News
Faith Eckersall, Bournemouth Daily Echo
Emma Judd, The News
Tim Ridgway, The Argus

Weekly Print Journalist of the Year

Gareth Davies, Croydon Advertiser
Dan Bloom, Medway Messenger
Tom Foot, Camden New Journal
Oliver Frankham, East Surry and Sussex News and Media
James Pepper, Sutton Guardian
Mike Pyle Sutton Guardian
Flora Thompson, Western Gazette

Daily Print Journalist of the Year

Sam Bannister The News
Jenny Makin, Southern Daily Echo
Priya Mistry, The News

Radio News Journalist of the Year

Liz Allaway, Wave 105
Nick Ferrari, LBC97.3
Sarah Gorrell, BBC Sussex/Surrey

TV News Journalist of the Year

Simon Harris, ITV News London
Reshma Rumsey, ITV Meridian
Sally Simmonds, ITV Meridian

Community Campaign of the Year

Camden New Journal and Islington Tribune, Hospital Big Sell-off
ITV Meridian, From the Heart
Dorset Echo, Weymouth fishing tragedy

Front Page of the Year

Bournemouth Daily Echo, Farewell Jade
Bournemouth Daily Echo, Finger Lickin’ Bad
Bournemouth Daily Echo, The End
Croydon Advertiser, Time for New Heroes

Website of the Year

LBC Radio, LBC.co.uk
Maidenhead Advertiser maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk
The News, Portsmouth.co.uk
Reading Post getreading.co.uk

Weekly Free Newspaper of the Year

Crawley News
East Grinstead Courier Observer
Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle
Slough and South Bucks Express

Weekly Paid for Newspaper of the Year

Croydon Advertiser
Hampshire Chronicle
Medway Messenger
Surrey Mirror

Radio News Programme of the Year

BBC Radio Kent, Breakfast with John Warnett and Clare McDonnell
LBC 97.3, Woolwich News Special
BBC London 94.9, Drive Time with Eddie Nestor
BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey, Drivetime with Sarah Gorrell

TV News/Current Affairs Programme of the Year

ITV News London, Woolwich attack, Vauxhall helicopter crash, London Olympics
ITV News Meridian West, Royal Princess

Daily Newspaper of the Year

The Argus
Bournemouth Daily Echo
Southampton Daily Echo