The finest business and entertainment journalists in Cheshire and Merseyside are set to be hailed in the region's second O2 Media Awards.

The telecommunications giant last year launched a series of regional awards, beginning with Cheshire and Merseyside, and now two new prize categories have been added to the list of 11 awards.

Last year's big winners were the weekly Warrington Guardian, crowned newspaper of the year ahead of bigger city-based rivals, while scoop of the year went to the Liverpool Daily Post for its coverage of the Mathew Street Festival fiasco.

The judging panel this year includes Yorkshire Post editor Peter Charlton, Media City communications director Paul Newman and Newsquest regional MD Jan Lever.

Glenn Manoff, O2's director of communications and reputation, said: "We are delighted to be staging the second O2 Media Awards in Cheshire and Merseyside.

"The quality of entries from the region's press last year was outstanding and we're hoping they'll all be back to defend their titles this year.

"The O2 Media Awards will honour individual writers and broadcasters as well as news teams who have worked together to bring their communities news and information that otherwise may have remained hidden."

The deadline for entries is 12 May with the awards ceremony to be held on 2 July at O2's offices in Preston Brook, near Runcorn.

For an entry form and more information e-mail Chloe Ingham at Rossiter Media on chloe.ingham@rossitermedia.co.uk or call 01925 576757.

The full list of categories is:

Newspaper of the Year
Young Journalist of the Year
News Reporter of the Year
Scoop of the Year
Photographer of the Year
Feature Writer of the Year
Sports Journalist of the Year
Digital Journalist of the Year
Editorial Team of the Year
Business Journalist of the Year
Entertainment Writer of the Year
TV Broadcast Journalist of the Year
Radio Broadcaster of the Year