Entries are now being welcomed for an annual awards scheme celebrating the best of journalism across the Midlands.

Organisers of the Midlands Media Awards are calling for nominations across 22 categories, ranging from Newspaper of the Year to Blogger of the Year.

Entries will initially be scrutinised by a panel of 40 professionals who will then submit a shortlist to the final judging panel.

The awards are run by the Birmingham Press Club, and will be held at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre on 20 October.

Press Club president Bob Warman said: “Each year, we have seen the standard of entries getting higher and higher – befitting of such a flagship event – and I have no doubt that the judging panel will again have some difficult choices to make.”

The awards will be sponsored this year by HSBC.

Nigel Hinshelwood, the banks’ head of UK and deputy chief executive, said: “Having just signed a three-year sponsorship package with the Press Club, we look forward to being associated for the first time with such a prestigious event.

“The media awards have been an important part of the Press Club calendar for many years and I am sure that this year’s entries will again reflect the professionalism of journalists from throughout the East and West Midlands.”

Details on how to enter can be found here.